The Dangerous Path
by Darksolider54
Summary: A year has passed since the trauma on Korriban, and Shadow faces the struggles of keeping up with his job and concealing his relationship with Ahsoka. But when a mysterious stranger enters his life, Shadow's world is jeopardized. Forced to take a dangerous path, Shadow has to learn how to unlock his full potential in order to protect what he loves. The sequel to The Hidden Shadow.
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

A powerful tremor rocked the small red-and-white Republic supply ship, compelling Kareb's hands to brace on both sides of the control panel as a sigh dragged past his lips. He hijacked the ship in perfect condition only hours ago, but now it steadily grew battle-worn from the massive firepower barraging down on him.

The fresh cuts he bore started to sting from the sweat drenching the white bandages coiled tightly around his bare torso, but what followed him felt more important than the pain.

Looming right beside his ship sailed a large, federation battle cruiser, all its flank turrets maintaining a steady pounding against the smaller vessel. Kareb's grip on the control panel tightened as the ship quaked again, attempting to jar him from his feet, but he maintained perfect balance as he fought to keep his ship on its course.

His eyes narrowed as he stared beyond the thick glass viewport and into the black space stretched before him, calculating the time it would take to warm up the hyperdrive and rocket out of danger. He could then continue to Courscant, his planned destination since his older brother, Shadow, left him to suffer on Korriban, the planet they both once called, "home."

The durasteel moaned as another tremor shivered throughout the hull and the control panels began fluttering, fighting to maintain power to keep the ship going. When the light in the controls burned out, Kareb gradually sensed the vessel's speed decreasing and inwardly he released a sharp groan. He was a sitting duck now.

As the Republic ship finally ceased movement and now gradually drifted through space, the battle cruiser's shooting eased as the larger vessel moved closer. Kareb drew in a cold breath, calling on the darkside which he always summoned when in need. Over the years, it became his one—and eventually only—companion.

Kareb's best friend and love, Sheema, laid probably shattered in a dark chasm on Korriban, his master's two halves remained exposed on the volcanic grounds where Sheema died, and his brother now lived somewhere on Coruscant with his own lover. It made Kareb's blood boil at the thought of Shadow and the Jedi Padawan, the ones responsible for Sheema's demise, together.

His plans since they escaped from Korriban had been simple: hunt down his brother and make his suffer. Anything to suffice the anger searing within him. He wanted to see the pain on Shadow's face; to see the lifeblood of the Jedi who allowed Sheema die to cover his hands.

But now he faced a terrible setback, and hopefully he could leap over this massive chasm, but something deep down told him otherwise. Something, or perhaps someone, dark moved throughout the cruiser, and that possessed a deceitful aura . And as the boarding tunnel from the attacking ship attached to his ship's airlock, he could feel the darkness starting to near him. The boarding party would approach, and quickly he needed to make his plot of attack so when they came they wouldn't be disappointed to find a weakened boy; they probably wanted a challenge.

Kareb's hands released the console he kept beneath a death grip and allowed his finger tips to brush the two dark-hued hilts dangling by his hips. Both the same weapon with similar design, and one of them had belonged to a different wielder: Shadow. At the touch of the energy weapons an energy bubbled through his body, tingling through his nerves, shivering along his bones, and coursing in his veins.

_These attackers are Separatists, no doubt_, Kareb noted mentally, knowing the boarding party now stood on his vessel. Don't worry, Shadow. I'm coming—just let me deal with these Separatist scum.

The large durasteel door whooshed open and Kareb whirled around into action. Both lightsabers flew to his open hands and bloody-hued plasma blades ignited in a snap. Droids. Just simple, scrawny looking machines armed with blasters and equipped with small programed minds. The simple foot soldier.

The leading droid, which had a distinct yellow stripe marking along its head and twig-like figure, spotted Kareb. "Blast him—" The walking scrap didn't have time to even pull the trigger, for its head popped off thanks to a flash of angry red spiraling from across the room.

The hilt returned to Kareb's outstretched hand, just in time as the five droids that made up the rest of the squad released a rain of bullets. The electronic blots flew to and fro, bouncing off the crimson blades with ease as he twirled them with a deft hand. Some bolts returned to their source, managing to deactivate two out of the five droids. The rest Kareb relied his skills with a lightsaber to dispatch the rest.

Kareb's blades swung in blurs, separating arms from torsos, heads from necks, and severing bodies in half at the midsection. The squad that had approached the bridge now laid in a satisfying pile of sparks. He caught his breath, flanks heaving as he fought to cycle enough air to steady the pounding of his heart, and admired his work with a grin.

A steady clapping emitted from a little farther in the hallway and his attention snapped just ahead, automatically forcing his aching body to adopt a defensive posture. Standing somewhat in the shadows was a man, face aged above fifty years with a graying beard and lack of hair on his head.

The man wore dark robes, and in the depths of his form Kareb could sense some darkness pulling through him. The sixteen-year-old's eyes narrowed, studying the elder gentleman. A rough chuckle touched his ears, but the man didn't speak. In fact, it was the brooding character hunched beside the human, it's gruesome yellow eyes staring at Kareb with a malice and desire for his blood, almost like a poisonous serpent ready to strike.

"Impressive," mused the older gentleman, stepping into the threshold of the bridge. He eyed Kareb with dark narrowed eyes, easily concealing what he thought or felt at that moment. His face, rigid with a toughness and experience, looked disgusted at the sight of him. "This is a surprise; you're not a part of the Republic nor the Jedi Order. What astonishes me more is the lightsabers you wield—" the man paused, considering his next words carefully. "You're probably the rumored 'Sith' recently tromping around the galaxy."

Kareb didn't speak, unsure how to respond to the chilling coolness that spoke to him.

The man scoffed, arms folding across his chest as he said with heavy, and distinct distaste, "Pathetic."

The word flared an anger inside him, and Kareb's grip on the lightsabers tightened to the point where his knuckles turned to a stark white. "I'd watch your mouth, old man!" he warned, spitting out each word as if he ate something revolting. "I'm well-trained in the arts of the Sith." Although he still had much to learn, Kareb felt rather confident in his skills.

"You're wounded, boy," the man said, mostly taking note of his appearance. "How do you know you can win?" He glanced at his mechanical companion who only released a deep, throaty laugh. "I'm sure my general, Grievous, can deal with you easily, you naïve child."

"I have the darkside on my side," Kareb hissed back, concealing the offended feelings surging within his muscles. But something inside his mind hatched a fear, and quietly he repeated the name of the man's general: _Grievous. Why does that name sound so familiar—damn. _

He realized who he stood before and the realization mentally whipped him. Deep down he felt a sense of regret, and eventually a defeat weighed on him. He stood before Count Dooku, the leader of the Separatist army, and standing beside him was his monstrous general, the Jedi killer, and dauntless fighter.

He heard Count Dooku laugh at his earlier statement when he mentioned the darkside, minor amusement easing some of the seriousness on his face. "Hmm, we'll see." The Sith Lord took a step back, gesturing toward his general, as if releasing him to do what he pleased.

Kareb watched the mechanical menace step forward, tucking his metallic arms toward the underside of his cape and pulling two slender objects from an inner pocket. Within seconds, a green and azure blade sprouted to life with a _snap-hiss._

Kareb couldn't wait. On impulse, the young soul lunged forward with his twin blades simultaneously sailing toward the general's flank. The blue blade intercepted the blow in seconds while the green went to make its mark at his shoulder. Kareb repositioned one of his blades so it could intercept his opponent's second blade from touching his body.

The warmth of the energy weapon radiated on Kareb's exposed flesh, as if warning him to not be so reckless. With a youthful spring, he flipped back to give him and the general space, but instead Grievous advanced, his blades swinging madly at Kareb's form.

He managed to fend off most of the blows, but Kareb felt his strength gradually beginning to wane. As the general's arms lashed forward with the tips of his blades coming in for a lethal thrust, Kareb ducked low to the ground, using a Force push which sent him sliding beneath the general's legs.

He pulled in his crimson blades close, twirling to sever the monster's legs but his weapons touched nothing but air. Grievous leaped up and unto the control panel, his pale eyes glowering toward Kareb as he continued sliding along the cold floor.

As Kareb slid, he adjusted his blades so he could easily get Count Dooku off guard, but already the Sith Lord had summoned his curved hilt with a flick of his wrist and activated it in seconds. When Dooku's blade swept down Kareb released a strong Force push that sent the elderly man sliding back. Without a doubt he knew the Sith used the Force to act as a cushion to soften the shove.

Kareb hopped to his feet just in time to intercept the deadly blades of Grievous. The mechanical arms conjured a power that the boy fought against, but gradually he felt his limbs starting to weaken. The four blades sizzled against each other, unwilling to part.

The general's snake-like eyes burned into Kareb's, a stare that only made the sixteen-year-old shudder in fear. He had become so focused on Grievous's eyes, he didn't see the spare arm reaching for him.

Grievous's cold metallic fingers snapped around his throat and flung him back into the bridge like a lifeless piece of prey. Kareb's back slammed against the viewport with an audible crack, and as he slid down to the metal floor he managed to prop himself up and glance at the white crack marring the window.

His eyes averted back to the general, struggling to get back to his feet but his strength had abandoned him. In desperation he flung a lightsaber from his right hand, the arc perfect and spiraling smoothly to cut the general in two, but Grievous had one of his blue lightsaber slice the flying crimson in two.

Kareb had one left. Better make it count, he thought to himself as he got to a knee.

Grevious's green lightsaber swung for his flank and deftly Kareb used his remaining weapon to fend it off. He moved so sluggishly he couldn't stop the general's spare arm from seizing his throat again. Kareb's chest tightened, lightsaber swinging to sever the hand from the arm but another pair of cold fingers captured his wrist.

"Nice try, _Sith_," jeered Grievous, letting out a deep chuckle. His grip tightened around Kareb's wrist, compelling him to release his hold on the crimson lightsaber and letting the hilt clatter to the floor.

Kareb's world suddenly jerked as the general turned and threw him against the ground belly-first. The blow rattled his upper torso, causing his face to finally contort in pain. Grievous forced him on his back, slamming his large foot against the boy's chest and closing the sharp-prongs that created his toes around him.

Kareb cried out, withering beneath his opponent and silently begging for mercy. He needed to survive. The general's hand slapped him, the sharp fingers raking nastily across his face and forcing him to scream more.

"Pathetic," Grievous snarled. "Let me put you out of your misery, boy—" The general's Jedi-colored lightsabers swung down to deliver his promise. Kareb heard the dangerous hum, and his mind ripped into a warm darkness...

Shadow's eyes flashed open in an instant and the familiar darkness shrouding his room greeted him, and despite the coolness that slithered through the open window bringing in the hum of traffic, nothing could ease the terror still gripping him from his nightmare.

He remembered vivid images: the earthquake which shook the dream's world, the snake-like eyes belonging to a monstrous mechanical general, and the dark warmth experienced by his younger sibling in his last moments. Shadow wanted to forget the events on Korriban, to at least shake the feeling his brother didn't hold ill thoughts about him and Ahsoka.

Movement whispered to his left and he sat upright in wonder, focusing on the ruffled sheets beside him and remembering he wasn't alone in the room. His green stare glanced toward the window where he saw the a figure preparing to leave. The shadows wrapped around his lover's slender form, the faint light setting a soft outline so he could admire her better. He watched her clip two slender cylindrical objects by her hips and a sadness weighed in his heart.

"You have to go?" he whispered, throwing the sheets off him and getting up, already he knew the answer.

Her entire body stiffened, caught off guard by his voice more than the question, but without hesitating she replied back, "My master needs me to come back to the temple." Her sky-blue eyes gazed over her shoulder, watching Shadow's broad-shouldered form. "I'm sorry. They've just got word that the missing Republic supply ship has crashed near the Senate building."

When she mentioned the supply vessel, Shadow felt an excitement flutter inside him. "You mean the one that went missing by Korriban?" he questioned, walking around the bed with interest. "Let me come with you," he pleaded. "If it's true, perhaps it's Kareb! Ahsoka, please!"

"You can't," she whispered as her hand lovingly touching his shoulder. "It might draw suspicion to you, especially _us_." Ahsoka eased up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Stay here. If something is wrong, I'll let you know, alright?"

Disappointment sank inside him, but Shadow saw her point. "Alright," he finally agreed. "Just be careful." A grave expression managed to appear on his face as he stared at her, trying his best to contain his worry about something happening at the crash site. He hated not being by her side.

He moved closer to her, encircling his muscled arms around her form. He held her in his arms, listening to the steadily rise and fall of her chest that always managed to comfort her, and in those several moments he enjoyed their final minutes before they had to part ways. He knew well if she returned to the temple, she probably would need to return to the battle field.

When she departed from his comforting hold, he watched her slip out the door emotionless, but he could tell through the Force she longed to stay with him. He longed to work beside her, but alas the Jedi Council didn't really wish to see him in their halls.

Shadow sat down on his bed, fingers combing through his sable hair as he tried to recollect the events in his nightmare. He had nothing to worry about, for Kareb died. _But a dream is always just a dream_, he reminded himself. Kareb could be alive.

He settled back into bed, head returning to his pillow so he could attempt to rest for the morning. Forging a reputation as a bounty hunter wasn't easy, but working with a pretty honest loan shark didn't make it so bad. At least he had a steady pay. Shadow closed his eyes, trying to steady the tremble of his heart but it didn't seem to slow.

Something else lingered ahead in his future, and it felt like a danger.

Shadow reopened his eyes, staring up at the dark ceiling, and exhaled in disappointment.

_ This is gonna be a long night..._

* * *

Hey, guys! First of all, I'd like to thank you for reading the very first chapter of _The Dangerous Path_. I'm gonna have a pretty hectic week which will make it difficult for writing, but the next chapter will be complete soon. I will be posting Chapter 1 on **April 30th, 2014!**

I hope you all are as excited as I am for the upcoming chapter! Count down the days, because the 30th will probably come in a breeze!


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

_11 months later._

A high-pitched shriek stirred from the lower street and Shadow—standing on the street above—peered over the railing as a tall man raced away from a fallen woman he accidentally knocked over in his haste. Forging a reputation as a bounty hunter wasn't easy, especially when his targets constantly tried to elude capture by running senselessly into crowds.

It didn't make them disappear; instead, they stood out.

"Fool," Shadow scowled lowly as he vaulted over the railing, allowing gravity to pull on him as he sailed down toward the crowd. Someone in the crowd noticed his decent and startled, several people parted and left a decent opening for him. He grinned, using the Force as a cushion.

He landed low to the ground, gathering his strength, and then propelled forward after the towering, reckless man. Shadow jostled through the crowd, eyes searching for the eye-catching golden hair that belonged to his target.

Shadow didn't move as reckless as the other man; he used somewhat subtle pushes and maneuvers toward the ones that got in his way. Some spat curses at him, others glared, and a few only whispered beneath their breath about his impoliteness. He didn't seek their approval. He just wanted to gain prestige from his employer—a loan shark known as Darius Rowne.

But something preyed over him. A fatigue haunted him; he could feel it weakening his muscles. The nightmares of Korribian, the old memories he wished to forget, kept him up nearly every night.

Stay awake, Shadow urged himself, I have to finish this. Then I can go home.

He caught up with his target, reaching out his hand and catching his shoulder. "You can't get rid of me that easy," Shadow spat, dragging the man away from the crowd and toward a narrow alleyway.

"Get your hands off me!" bellowed the man, thrashing in Shadow's iron-grip but he couldn't break free.

Shadow didn't loosen his hold until the darkness swallowed them, and when it did, he slammed the man against the wall and leaned close so he couldn't escape again. "Enough running, Harvek," he growled lowly, eyes narrowed to meet the pale frantic eyes trying not to meet his. "Where are the credits you owe Darius? You hand them over, and I'll make sure Darius doesn't put a bounty on your head."

"Piss off!" Harvek drew out the pistol in the holster beside his hip, finger pulling the trigger and letting a bolt fly. Shadow almost acted too slow, but grew thankful as the bolt hit the parallel wall. It didn't stop Harvek though.

Shadow seized the man's wrist, slamming it against the wall and jarring the pistol away. Harvek's fist smacked against his jawline, the force behind it nearly knocking Shadow aside but luckily it only made him loosen his grip on the man's wrist. Forgetting the gun, he lunged at the bounty hunter, knocking him against the other wall and bringing his knee to smash against his abdomen.

A sharp breath exhaled from Shadow's lungs as Harvek's fist pounded against his torso, bruising the skin no doubt. Another punch sent Shadow tumbling to the ground, but as he got to his knees, Harvek's arm wrapped around his throat.

The attempt to cut off his airway was nearly successful if Shadow didn't know how to get out. His fingers dug into Harvek's arm as he struggled to his feet. Shadow's elbow jabbed against Harvek's ribs, the right spot which made the man's grip loosen. He reached behind him, seizing the older man's shoulders and heaving the tall body up and over him.

His target's back smacked against the disgusting concrete, leaving him somewhat winded, and Shadow reached for him. But Harvek didn't give him a chance to grab him. Already he got to his feet, reached behind him, and pulled out a glinting blade from his back pocket.

"I said piss off you bastard!" Harvek spat, charging forward with the tip of the blade sailing toward Shadow. The eighteen-year-old stumbled back, bumping against the wall as the knife penetrated through his shoulder.

"Damn!" Shadow howled, fighting to contain his rage. As the blade withdrew his fist smashed against Harvek's nose, sending the man stumbling away from him. The adrenaline pumping through his veins made him forget the pain. But in his mind his shoulder felt like something lethal still sizzled where the knife had left.

Harvek was at the ready again, blade swunging deftly for the throat when Shadow ducked, turned his body sideways, and delivered a firm kick against his flank. That hit only startled him, but another kick—this time aimed around the chest—left him winded.

"I'm—" Shadow's fist slammed against Harvek's cheek and sent him flying back toward the wall. Harvek blindly slashed at Shadow. "—tired—" Shadow ducked another swipe, laying several fierce punches against his flank. "—of games!"

Harvek lifted his blade to drive it back into his shoulder when Shadow back-flipped to create a little space between them. He twisted his body smoothly, leg gliding upwards and the tip of his boot smashing against the man's skull. His foot didn't retreat yet. The sole of his shoe pushed the wrist holding Harvek's knife against the wall with such force it jarred the sharp metal from his hand. The satisfying clatter assured Shadow the threat was gone.

"The credits," Shadow growled, now tasting the copper tang on his lips, "where are they?"

Harvek reached into his front pocket, throwing them convulsively at Shadow as if the touch of credits was poisonous. "Take them," he begged, slumping to the ground and looking down at his feet. "Take them and leave me alone."

Shadow's eyes narrowed as the word, "Pathetic," dragged past his lips and dripped with disgust. He didn't bother having some pity on him. He got what he deserved. He stepped out of the darkness, returning into the light and avoiding eye contact with the other pedestrians walking the street. With his sleeve he wiped the small trail of blood dribbling from his lip before he noticed a lean figure propped against a wall to his right.

"Good work in there," she mused, sky-colored eyes focused on him with an amused smile. "You really struck some fear in his heart. I would say you came out unscathed but—" She nodded at his shoulder, eying the dark wet stain on the shoulder of his sable tunic.

"Your praise is touching," Shadow said, chuckling softly as he slipped the credits in his pocket. "I think you're getting soft, Kyra." A grin pulled at his lips. "You should have seen him, crying like a baby in there."

"I would I could praise you all day," she mumbled, stepping over to him. "But Darius wants us at his pub—we've got an unwelcome visitor."

Shadow concealed his disappointment, hid his desire to sink into his bed and fall asleep. But a piece of him eased in relief: it appeared more appealing than going home to have his mind muddled with nightmares fabricated from his past.

Kyra didn't bother waiting for his response. She turned around, her long, chestnut hair flying back over her shoulders, and she proceeded to the dark crimson speeder parked several feet away from them. She hopped into the pilot's side while he sat beside her, and without wasting another second she brought the engines to life with a simple push of a button.

The speeder zoomed up and away, the front pointed up toward the sky where the steady pulse of traffic flowed with various ships and transportation vehicles. Kyra had flown along the streets many times, very well-educated on how to get around Coruscant effectively.

Shadow didn't mind the silence as they rode back to the pub, in fact, he used the time to consider what awaited for them. He didn't think whoever stood in Darius's place wasn't dangerous, but a sensation pricked at him.

_Don't focus on Kareb_, he scold himself when he realized his mind still focused on the ache in his shoulder, he's dead.

The speeder jerked to the left, jarring Shadow from his thoughts, and it descended toward a small building distinguished by a buzzing neon sign. Already the sky gradually darkened, on the verge of bestowing night over Coruscant. Kyra parked the vehicle in a space between two other speeders and the hunk of metal powered down with a dying whirl.

She leaped out of her seat, hand on her blaster pistol as she headed for the door. Shadow followed her wordlessly, ignoring the aches messaging throughout his body and wearing him down minute by minute. When she pushed through the door he only followed, scanning the bar shelves stocked with various ales and whiskeys.

Darius's most trusted bounty hunters stood huddled in the center of the room, grim-faced and dangerous characters who didn't approve of the person—well, boy—standing in the pub. They looked impressed by his presence, but frowned upon the idea of him working with the others in the room.

Darius sat in his favorite chair, a large throne-like seat propped against the back wall of the pub. The man—plump and figuratively weighed down by his riches—stared cold-eyed at the stranger, but when he saw Kyra and Shadow gradually edging toward the circle his stare somewhat brightened.

"Kyra! Shadow!" he shouted, announcing their arrival with his deep, booming voice. He sat up in his seat and beckoned them with a tattooed hand to come closer. "I want you to meet this fool who wandered into my pub asking for a job—" He gestured toward the circle and several bounty hunters parted so they could see.

Shadow eyed the stranger—who looked almost as big as him but several inches higher—and couldn't help but notice scars marring his face. It seemed to say a lot about this man. _Poor guy_, he thought as minor pity washed over him.

"His name is Aven," Darius pipped up. "I don't think he's worthy enough to work in my pub. But you're my trusted hand, Kyra. I'll let you test him." He folded his arms across his burly chest, awaiting for her to step forward and quickly check out Aven.

She didn't speak right away. From where Shadow stood, she looked almost hypnotized by him, perhaps intrigued at his appearance. Her eyes glanced over him from head to toe, as if mesmerizing each muscle coiled in the brawny frame. She stepped into the huddled group and circled him, like a predator considering whether to make their possible target is weak enough to become a meal. Aven didn't stir. He stood unmoved by her unsettling gaze.

"What skills do you have to offer us, Aven?" Kyra asked, stopping in front of him. She stared boldly into his green pools, as if searching for fear.

"Fighting, organizing, anything," Aven answered. "I just need work." His voice sounded like a pathetic squeak and made the bounty hunters laugh.

"Fighting might do good. It will improve our odds at succeeding our assignments and retrieving the credits others owe to Darius." Kyra abruptly pivoted around, taking several steps away from Aven and gesturing to the other bounty hunters to shuffle back. "We're gonna give you a test. Fight one of our toughest bounty hunters, and if you do well—you can join. If you can't even manage to escape a headlock, your chances of working here will be _slim_."

Shadow remembered the first time he came to Darius to join in his group. Kyra had the chilling voice, but she didn't give him any test. She already witnessed him several months ago him fight five drunkards in one sitting. She recognized his skill. He highly doubted Aven would pass the test if he fought against the deadliest fighter in the room.

"Shadow!"

Kyra's voice caught him off guard.

"I think you can handle this kid easily." Her eyes focused on his as she neared his side, a confidence glowing somewhere beneath the icy depths of her eyes. It gave him some how, but it also made him feel a dread. "I know Harvek roughed you up a bit, but you are actually one of the best fighters here."

Shadow nodded and shouldered past her, biting down his tongue and suppressing the urge to spew curses from his mouth. He stopped when he stood a couple of feet from Aven, and when the circle closed he raised an eyebrow toward the newcomer. "Show me what you got," he urged.

Aven raced forward, fingers tightly furled in his palm and his knuckles grew a stark white. He swung a mad punch but Shadow used a hand and directed it to meet nothing but air. Before Aven could adjust a firm foot smashed against his flank and sent him tumbling sideways.

"Pathetic," Shadow growled. "And you expect to get a job here?"

Aven's jaw tightened and he threw himself at the bounty hunter, fists swinging madly. Shadow didn't need to tense. Instead he allowed the Force to flow through him, and like a river maneuvering around rocks, he eluded the punches. With an open hand he smacked the newcomer's cheek with a stinging slap.

"You gotta do better than that," Kyra called from the edge of the make-shift battle ring. "At this time, your target could have you down on the ground, or perhaps even kill you." Her eyes narrowed, unimpressed by his effort. "You're wasting our time—"

"No, no!" Aven begged, his looking toward Kyra. "Just give me another chance! This time I won't let you down!" The boy's knees wobbled, but he refused to let himself collapse in front of the others in the room.

"One last chance," Kyra said. "You mess up or don't do good enough, you're out for good."

Shadow's eyebrows furrowed together, somewhat angered by her words. The fight could have ended and he could have returned home. But most importantly, he wondered where in the world did she have this reasonable side.

Aven turned back toward Shadow and advanced with more quick, and practiced, punches. Shadow put up his fists, blocking a few hits and ducking some others. He even tried to exchange some blows of his own but the boy managed to mirror his technique: he blocked and ducked.

The fight began picking up the pace, now composed of smooth kicks and rolls equally coming from both sides. Shadow tried to preserve his energy. He hoped to last longer so he could figure out a way to end this. Aven's foot smacked against his jaw, sending him stumbling back but he didn't completely lose his footing.

Shadow suppressed a grimace as he straightened his posture, rushing forward and swinging a couple punches—one to the cheek and the other to the abdomen. He backed up and propelled up, his body flipping over Aven, and when he turned to face the boy, he had his foot lifted and striking against the exposed backside.

Aven tumbled to the ground. Shadow knew the fight would draw to a close. Prepared to end it, he turned the scarred boy on his back but what happened next wasn't anticipated. A fist slammed against his wounded shoulder, conjuring a pained gasp from Shadow. Aven pushed him back, heaving himself to his feet and lunging at the bounty hunter.

In the man's eyes Shadow saw no mercy, a fierce determination not only in his stare, but also behind the punches raining down on him. Knuckles slammed against his face, upon his chest, and worse of all his shoulder. It seemed never-ending until a single word slowed time.

"Stop!" Kyra shouted above the struggling grunts.

As Aven retreated Shadow's foot slammed against the boy's abdomen and sent him tumbling back toward Kyra. His eyes searched the faces of his co-workers, knowing each stood in shock not at Aven's success, but Shadow's inability to protect himself. The fatigue settled in as Shadow got to his feet, but the defeat never ebbed. It just couldn't.

"Well done," Kyra praised, a smirk pulling on her face as she stared at Aven. "Welcome to the group." All the other bounty hunters snapped from their amazement and went to congratulate the group's new member. Everyone stepped around Shadow, unable to make eye contact with their defeated comrade.

Shadow noticed Kyra's eye on him and quietly he proceeded to her side. "He caught me by surprise," he admitted to her. "That's why I didn't have time to fight back—"

"Cut the crap," she snapped, a gingerly hand resting on his shoulder. "Everyone's been noticing your exhaustion lately," she went on. "I just wanted to test their rumors. Go home, get some rest. You're gonna need that for a couple of days."

Shadow scowled. "If I don't work, I don't get an income," he growled. "I have no choice but to work."

"Sooner or later you'll be fired for your sloppiness," Kyra retorted. Her eyes softened a bit from their normal, icy state as she said, "I'm just looking out for you."

_Your concern is touching_, he thought angrily, _but not necessary! _

Shadow kept his mouth shut, grimly nodding instead before he moved away from her hand. As much as it angered him, he felt like she had a point. If he didn't face his problems now, he would encounter more issues in the future, such as a source of income.

The walk to his apartment was a brief one despite how far he actually was from Darius's pub. He took a shuttle ship which only lasted a couple of minutes, and from there he edged his way into the dimly lit apartment building. He counted the seconds the elevator took to reach to his floor, and when he stepped outside the sliding doors he proceeded to the first door to his left.

He slipped the keycard from his pocket, swiped it into the card reader, and the door whooshed open. Shadow limped into the dark space and as his front door closed he stripped off his tunic and proceeded to the bathroom to assess and bind his wounds.

He didn't bother turning on the lights since he preferred the dark instead. But when he arrived at the bathroom he flicked on the light and looked at the discolored blotches all over his skin. Shadow scowled again, especially when he saw the dark red clustered around the small puncture in his shoulder.

It wasn't as bad as he had expected, though it still pained him. He splashed some cool water and washed it using the refresher, and with some long bandages he owned beneath the counter he wrapped the shoulder gingerly. The bruises all over him would have to go away over time.

Shadow exited the bathroom with the light clicking off behind him, and without thinking about dinner, he proceeded to his bedroom at the end of the hall. He pushed through the door, expecting to encounter an empty bed when a dark figure seated on the edge made him stiffen.

The lean figure stood up and wandered over to him, and as he met the gave of soft aquatic eyes he relaxed, and a genuine smile formed on his lips.

"Welcome home," he whispered, wrapping his arms around the feminine form.

"It's good to be home," Ahsoka whispered back, her fingers caressing the his dark hair. She stared at him momentarily, as if breathless by his features before she leaned up and met his lips for a longing kiss.

Shadow accepted the embrace, his heart thrashing in his chest because of her presence. The war had kept them apart for several months, and their future reunion was unknown to the both of them, but when she ended up in his apartment he knew she could stay for a few weeks before being sent off again.

As they parted from their kiss, Shadow couldn't help but laugh. "How'd you get in here?"

"The balcony" she answered. She nodded toward the curtains gracefully billowing to his right. "You don't really lock the door." One of her hands had dropped down along her shoulder, and when she felt the bandage she froze. "What's on your shoulder?"

Ahsoka uncoiled from his arms, walking over to the wall and turning on the light. When she saw him, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She didn't know what to say, or even what to think what happened to him.

"Look, I just got a little roughed up today," Shadow admitted. "It's nothing to worry about, alright?"

"Did your employer do this to you?" Ahsoka questioned, nearing him and inspecting the forming bruises.

"No," Shadow said, getting a little defensive. "I fought with two guys today. One pulled a knife on me, managed to catch me in the shoulder. The other I had to fight because he had to pass a test...they both got me pretty good—"

"You can't sleep, can you?" Her eyes softened as they met his stare, hoping deep down it wasn't true but nothing could deny the dark circles accentuating beneath his eyes.

"No, I can't. I'm trying to but nightmares always turn up." Shadow shook his head, sitting on the edge of his bed and hanging his head.

She sat beside him, her hands gingerly touching his shoulders. "You need to forget about Korriban, Shadow. What happened there is affecting your mind," she said. "It's hard to forget, I understand that. But it's affecting your work."

"I just can't seem to get a good night's rest when you're not around," Shadow admitted, lifting his head to gaze into her eyes. "It pains me every time you're not beside me."

"I know," Ahsoka whispered. "It hurts me too, but we have to live through this for now. At least we're able to spend time together; I'm not even suppose to be here with you, but I come anyways. I love you. But when I'm gone I want you to pretend I'm with you all the time, okay?"

Shadow took her words into consideration, and several minutes later he agreed. "Okay," he said, managing to grin as he leaned closer to her. "I'll pretend just for you."

She smiled back, her forehead against his. "You must be tired," she mused, lips brushing against his ear. With a flick of her wrists the lights powered down and she gently pushed Shadow down on the bed. "Sleep."

He took a deep breath and shifted toward the pillows, getting beneath the bedspread and letting Ahsoka take the empty spot beside him. Shadow longed for a good night's rest and knew he would get it with his love laying next to him. As he closed his eyes all he could see was Aven's scarred face, and a sense of dread mingled in his chest.

A mystery surrounded Aven, and that much to Shadow was clear.

* * *

And that's the end of chapter one! What did you guys think? Reviews are greatly encouraged at this point now that we're started to move forward in the story already.

**Chapter 2** will be published **May 7th, 2014**! Be sure to mark your calendars because I'm sure the next chapter will be just as exciting as this one!

Have a good rest of the week, everyone!


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Sudden light fell on Shadow's face as the curtains whipped open and allowed the morning glow to illuminate his room. His face cringed, eye brows furrowed close together as he tried to shut out the light, but after several seconds he gave up and opened his gaze. Ahsoka walked to the bed with a smile displayed on her face.

"Morning sleepyhead," she said as she sat in the unoccupied space beside him. She leaned forward, fingers combing through his tousled hair, and touched her lips to his cheek. "Sleep well?" In her aquatic gaze Shadow could tell she didn't need to ask, since she noticed the brightness in his eyes, and the energy flowing throughout his body despite the soreness from the fight before.

"Of course," he mused, grinning as his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her close to him. "That's because you're here." He kissed her forehead and refused to release her. At this moment he knew it wouldn't be long until they had to part ways. Her master probably was waiting on her as they lounged on his bed.

She didn't wiggle from his grasp. Instead, she eased into him and tilted her eyes up at him. "That's good," she said. "I'm happy to see you're more awake...are you planning to still go back to Darius today?"

"It depends," Shadow admitted. "Kyra will let me know if I'm needed—but for now, I'd like to focus on you." He rested his chin on top of her head and took in a deep, relaxed breath.

In silence they sat relaxed on the bed until Shadow's stomach grumbled and, without a second thought, Ahsoka got to her feet. "You have to be hungry," she chimed, smiling as she headed for the door and glanced over her shoulder. "Lunch is a couple of hours away. We could make some plans."

The idea of a meal made his stomach's growling worse while also sprouting a warmth in his chest; he hadn't talked over a meal with Ahsoka in months. He rolled off the bed and to his feet, following after her into the living room of his small apartment. She headed for the kitchen, browsing the cupboards for something she could prepare as a small snack, but sadly she couldn't find much.

"How do you eat?" she asked, tilting her eyes over to Shadow as he stood several feet away only watching her. "Your cupboards are probably as empty as your stomach." She rolled her eyes, but a concern eased on her face. "When was the last time you've eaten a meal?"

"Yesterday morning," Shadow answered. "I eat at Darius's pub for free since I work for him. It's pretty decent food, and it helps save credits. I've still got bills to pay for this place."

"And what if you lose your job with Darius?" Ahsoka questioned. "How will you feed yourself then?" She eased around the counter, coming to stand a few inches from him. "I'm sure you won't be a bounty hunter forever."

Shadow didn't know how to answer. His lips pulled into a straight line as he considered her words, looked over the options he had if he did lose his job. He'd have to search for another occupation, or perhaps seek employment with another small loan shark and gather debts, or maybe heads.

He inwardly shuddered at the idea of killing for money. He thought he could escape his previous life, tuck away the teachings of the Sith and live an average, and honest, life. _Sometimes he have to take the dangerous path_, he thought to himself.

Ahsoka eased up on her toes, her hand on the cool skin of his chest as she kissed his cheek. "Something to consider," she said when he didn't answer. "Now, do you want to discuss lunch plans before I leave?"

"We could always go to our usual place," Shadow piped up, relieved she moved to a different subject. "There no one could suspect us of being a couple—just two friends having a casual dinner." It pained him to conceal his true relationship with her but, especially with her current occupation forbidding her from intimate relationships, he knew it had to be that.

"Sounds good," Ahsoka agreed. She smiled as a peaceful silence came between them.

He stared into her aquatic pools, hoping time would just freeze so he could savor her presence. As his lips gradually pulled to smile that mirrored hers, a sudden pounding at the door jostled them. His head whipped toward the door, a fear trickling down his spine as he hoped it wasn't someone he knew, or even worse: her master.

"Who's there?" Shadow called, frantically gesturing Ahsoka to retreat to the bedroom. She didn't bother moving, unsure of the presence standing outside the apartment. It could have been anyone.

"It's me, Shadow," piped a familiar voice.

_Kyra._ Shadow's jaw tightened at the thought of his co-worker, and knew that if she saw him, shirtless, and her together, she might start composing ideas about his personal life, especially if she sees Ahsoka's lightsabers hitched to her hips.

"Just a second!" Shadow bellowed, hand dropping to Ahsoka's waist and pushing her toward the bedroom. "My cloak in the closet," he whispered in her ear. "Put that on!" As the Torguta rushed into the room and closed the door, he turned to left Kyra in. "I didn't expect to see you here," he said with a louder voice as his co-worker stepped into his home. The front door whooshed shut and Kyra's eyes casually scoped the room.

"I've never step foot in your apartment before," she mused, mostly to herself. "It's a nice place." Her eyes peered over the curve of her shoulder, eying his bandaged shoulder. "How are you holding up? You look more awake."

"I slept well last night," Shadow admitted. "And I'm fine. Just getting use to the bruises and my shoulder feels like a knife didn't pierce it." He shrugged, adding with a grin, "I've honestly been through worse."

Kyra chuckled, an awkwardness weighing in his voice as her eyes quickly averted from his muscled figure toward the large window in the back of the apartment. She quietly watched the flowing traffic buzz past the pane, hypnotized by the sound nearly everyone considered as life. After several minutes she turned to look back at Shadow, but before she could utter a single word, her ears heard the whoosh of the bedroom door.

"Is there someone else here?" Kyra pivoted toward the hallway.

Ahsoka slipped into view, Shadow's black cape draped over her form except her head, and only stared at Kyra with a casual gleam in her eyes. "I am," she said with a calm and collected voice. "Shadow had my cloak so I came this morning to get it back." Her eyes fixed on Shadow, waiting for his backup.

"Yeah," Shadow answered, walking past Kyra and to Ahsoka's side. His hand gently grasped her clothed wrist and he lead her to the door. "You got your cloak now," he mused with a small smile, "Let's hope it doesn't end up in my closet again." As the two stopped at the door, Shadow winked at her and mouthed, "See you at lunch."

Ahsoka waved goodbye to Kyra and Shadow, and without hesitating she stepped out of the apartment when the front door whooshed open. In relief, Shadow shut the door and returned his attention to Kyra.

"Come on," Kyra urged, heading for the door. "Get a shirt on, Darius wants us at the pub today."

"What's our job this time?" Shadow asked, easing past her toward his bedroom.

"We're helping the newbie," he heard her shout.

The thought of Aven formed a sickening weight in his stomach as he entered his room, moving for his closet and yanking the nearest dark tunic hanging in sight. He slipped it on in moments and returned to his anxiously waiting co-worker. "Why us?" Shadow questioned as he exited his apartment.

"I know you don't like helping new bounty hunters," Kyra said as she followed, letting the front door whoosh shut and lock behind her. "But it must be done. Everyone else thinks Aven's better working with us."

Shadow scowled. "As long as I'm not fighting him again," he grumbled as they headed for the elevator, "I guess I'll help him."

"Trust me," Kyra laughed as they stepped inside the elevator. "You're not gonna fight him again—we're just getting to know him, that's all."

_What if I don't want to know him?_ Shadow dared to ask but his mouth remained tightly shut. _I don't want to uncover the mystery surrounding this stranger. _

As the doors whooshed shut and the platform zipped downwards, the sickness in his stomach worsened.

Shadow's impassive face studied Aven closely, curious about the unattractive streaks marking his face most of all. He couldn't wait to hear the story behind them, despite the fact it could be really personal to the newbie, but it was necessary. He wanted to make sure his scars weren't a reminder for revenge.

"Tell us about yourself," Kyra urged as she leaned back in her seat. She wasn't watching him as closely as Shadow, but in the depths of her icy eyes he knew he had her full attention. "Anything you think is important."

Aven shifted in his seat, getting comfortable no doubt, and opened his mouth to start rambling about the start of his life. "I was born on a different planet, one with a name that always escapes me, but I was the youngest of a sibling who was taken at a youngest age—so basically I was raised as an only child.

"My father abandoned my mother and I when my older sibling went missing. It became an obsession to find his other son. When I was old enough—around sixteen—I started finding work in the small village I lived in. I became the sole provider for my mother, and when she became gravely ill, I worked even harder—" Aven paused, making sure the information sank in. "So when I had enough credits, my mother and I set off to Coruscant," he went on. "The engines of our ship malfunctioned and we crashed. I lost my mother—and my looks—that day."

"So you got your scars during the ship crash?" Kyra chimed in, making him pause in his storytelling. "Interesting. Do you mind me asking to add more details of what happened?"

Aven scoffed, which sounded more like a brief laugh. His eyes glimmered with amusement, as if he'd been asked this numerous times in the past and found it humorous. "My face got pretty scraped up by viewport glass when the ship hit a platform. Lucky for me, those shards missed my eyes."

"Yes, that is very fortunate," Shadow mused with a nod. "If your eyes were damaged, you'd never be sitting here in the first place." Being blunt and obvious was a trait Kyra had grown use to since the time they started working together, but today wasn't the time. Kyra's elbow slammed into his ribs, more specifically a bruise, and Shadow flinched.

"Please," Kyra urged, "continue your story."

"There's nothing much to tell," Aven admitted. "When I got healed up I started searching for jobs, but many have turned me away because I either don't have the skills they want or my face. Or perhaps even both, but I'm one who isn't so easily discouraged."

"You fought pretty good yesterday," Shadow said, recalling their little scuffle the day before. "How did you learn how to fight?"

"On my homeworld," Aven answered. "Before my father left my mother and I, he attempted to teach me some self-defense, which kinda sunk in, especially during my young age. But after he left, my uncle continued teaching me so I would be prepared to defend my mother, or myself, from threatening characters—sorry for the bruises, by the way."

Shadow's jaw tightened at the apology. "No need to apologize," Shadow said, trying not to sound too angered but somehow his mood weighed in his words. "You weren't the one who gave me the bruises anyway."

He hated people who reminded him of his defeats. It frustrated him because constantly it would find a way to dwell and clutter his mind from the present. He had to stay focused while also striving to do better.

"Shadow! Kyra!" came Darius's voice from the back office. Their employer stormed out into the main area, face a steaming read. The tangible rage captured the other bounty hunters' attention.

"Something wrong, Darius?" Kyra asked, rising from her chair.

"Someone got into my safe and stole my money!" he bellowed angrily. "Some dirty worm managed to trick me!"

Shadow got to his feet, his narrowed as he started searching the pub. He turned to a fellow bounty hunter and shouted, "lock down the area. The thief might still be here!" He moved from his table, listening to the shock murmurs rising among the patrons and co-workers. He then turned to another bounty hunter. "Come with me, we're going to look at the security footage." He stormed toward the Darius's office with Kyra and Aven just behind, but instead of turning straight into the room, he entered through another door just beside it.

Shadows draped around the room, but a steady glow from set up computer screens somewhat illuminated the narrow space. Shadow sat in the rolling chair, fingers gliding against the electronic keyboard displayed on the desk and accessed the camera's footage. He scrolled until he spotted a suspicious man exiting Darius's office.

Kyra leaned over his shoulder. "That's the culprit?" she mused even though her phrase sounded more like a question. Shadow didn't answer. Instead, he continued looking at the various cameras in the pub to see whether they remained in the building or not.

"The culprit's a big man, and I mean _big_, perhaps heavily muscled, with brown hair," Kyra described as she stepped outside to inform Darius. Aven soon took her place looking over Shadow's shoulder and raised an eyebrow, as if in surprise.

"Something the matter with your face, Aven?" Shadow questioned irritably. He hoped the newbie had something important to tell him.

"I recognize that man," Aven said. "I saw him a couple of times in The Dealers Den. He's a regular there, very well-known and in a nice group of smugglers."

Shadow's fingers froze on the keyboard as he turned to gaze at Aven. "Do you think you could take us there?"

Aven grinned. "Of course," he answered. "As long as I'm able to get a piece of the action."

"You're new at this," Shadow grumbled as he rose from the chair. "The last thing we need is someone inexperienced getting in our way." His eyes narrowed as he pushed past him and back into the pub. "The thief isn't here," he declared aloud. "He's been long gone. The safe was robbed this morning before we arrived here," he added to Kyra.

"What do we know about him?" Kyra asked Shadow, hoping he had the answer.

Before Shadow could answer, Aven pipped up from behind him. "His name is Valor Prynce, a smuggler who's a regular at The Dealers Den," he said. "I can take you to him."

Kyra's lips pulled into a smile while Shadow's eased to a frown.

Darius looked at his two, trusted bounty hunters. "Take the newbie with you," he ordered, looking mostly at Shadow. "And get my money back!"

Shadow held his breath as he glanced at the time.

_Damn_...l_ooks like I'm missing lunch._ He suppressed his disappointment as he turned toward Aven and said with a low, harsh voice, "Lead the way." As the newbie turned for the door, Shadow hoped everything would run smoothly.

* * *

I'm sorry if this chapter seems a little rushed, but I've had a hectic week. I hope you all are enjoying this story so far! I will post the next chapter on **May 19th, 2014**. I understand that's at least two weeks away, but I need to catch up on school work and attend important events. Like I said earlier, my life has been very busy these past several of days. I hope everyone is doing well! Don't despair, the days are probably gonna fly by like they usually do!


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Shadow didn't bother questioning how Aven knew this Valor Prynce; he only assumed before Aven had decided to become a bounty hunter he possibly was a regular at The Dealer's Den. Before they completely left the pub, Darius made sure the three armed themselves. Shadow's hand brushed against the sheathed vibroblade at his hip, comforted by the item the closest to the lightsaber he lost months ago.

Once outside, he followed Kyra closely, trusting her more than the rookie, despite the fact she actually placed her complete trust in Aven. The minutes outside rode on a little past the lunch hour, and in his mind he pictured Ahsoka heading for their favorite café.

He spotted the familiar old walls belonging to the aged bar, and all he could think about was the first time he set foot in pub with Kareb and Sheema. His heart ached at the thought, but he quickly dismissed his sorrows when they stepped inside.

In his mind he repeated the image he saw on the Holoscreen. Big man, brown-haired. Despite the simplicity in appearance, Shadow knew he and Kyra could spot him well; they never forgot a face.

Shadow felt a little overwhelmed by the patrons gathered inside, having their small lunches and chatting away while they drank. His eyes searched the tables, hoping that the man they wanted resides somewhere. It wasn't until Kyra's elbow jabbed him in the ribs when he saw Valor with his smuggler friends.

"There he is," Aven whispered over his shoulder, "I suggest getting him away from his group."

"Why?" Kyra asked, glancing at Aven with a raised eyebrow.

"I've seen some fights," Aven said, "where if one is provoked, all of them are—"

"Leave the fighting to us, rookie," Shadow growled as he shouldered past his comrades. He approached the table occupied by amused smugglers, and it didn't take long for all of their eyes to suddenly shift to him. A few looked like their faces bore very purplish bruises, and their eyes glowed at him like a defensive, and hurt, animal. "Valor Prynce?" he asked with a casualness, eyes unafraid as he stared at the biggest man of the group.

"Who's askin'?" he asked, gritting yellow teeth and bunching his crooked nose.

Must be his way to intimidate, Shadow thought as he wondered what was going on with the man's face. "I am," he declared boldly. "Do you think we can talk privately? My comrades and I wish to speak to you about a job offer."

He watched the man's brown eyes brighten at his words, but following after came a doubtful expression on his face. "Job offer?" he repeated, weighing both words and considering them. "What kind of job offer?" His eyes narrowed, suspicious now.

"A job fit for a smugger—or are you not one?" Shadow dared to provoke him only to get him on his feet and moved away from his peers.

Valor straightened his posture, the muscles beneath his tunic bunched in rage as he formulated his reply. "I am a smuggler," he said bitterly. "More importantly: I'm fit for the job." He got to his feet, the chair legs grating against the dirty floor as he made his way around. When he stood beside Shadow, he gave him a ghastly grin and added proudly, "I'm capable of anything—even breaking into Darius Rowne's pub."

"Follow me," Shadow said, pivoting around and leading the way to Kyra and Aven.

When Valor neared, his eyes focused on Aven in surprise. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "I heard you've been working bounty hunter crap." Valor laughed and leaned closer to Aven and whispered, "I thought you were working for Darius Rowne."

"Just step outside, Prycne," Aven said, struggling to suppress his bitterness.

Shadow, Kyra, and Aven lead they big man out of the pub and toward the narrow alleyway just beside the building. They had just stepped into the dim shadows when Valor suddenly turned, his broad hand shoving Shadow aside and soon came to clench Kyra's throat.

She ducked, letting Aven rush in and shove Valor deeper into the alley.

"Did you not think I wouldn't assume Darius would send his pathetic bounty hunters after me?" Valor asked mockingly. "I played along to save you the trouble of embarrassing yourselves."

Shadow gritted his teeth, straightening his posture and glaring coldly toward the smuggler. "Where are the credits you stole?" he demanded. Calling on the Force, Shadow lunged forward and compelled Valor to stumble back toward the wall with a rage aflame in his stare.

Valor's eyes widened at the power behind the eighteen-year-old's push, and at that moment he didn't plan to provoke Shadow further. "I didn't think Darius had a Jedi working for him," he said, swallowing hard.

"I'm not a Jedi," Shadow growled. "I've never been a Jedi. Now answer the damn question!" He grasped the man's tunic till his knuckles turned a stark-white.

Valor took a deep breath, looking between Aven and Kyra while he fumbled in his pockets. "I don't have them," he said. "A man hired me—I swear! Look, I can show you an image of him—" Reaching back into his pocket, Valor pulled out a hand-held projector and a transparent blue image flickered into appearance.

Shadow released his grip, eyes narrowed at the still figure of a man—possibly in his late forties—dressed in a long, brown robe with dark hair and wise eyes. _He could have hired Valor_, he thought, considering the idea, but something about the man shouted something different—far from the word "thief."

"Where can we find him?" Kyra demanded, her eyes cold as she stared at him.

"He's an off-worlder. We tussled with him in the bar a couple of times for credits," Valor answered. "So you'll probably find him at the nearest spaceport."

Aven folded his arms across his chest. "Let's go," he said, urging Kyra and Shadow to follow him. "There's only one spaceport that's fairly close to here."

Kyra nodded, agreeing to his words and grumbling under her breath, "I will break the man for those credits."

Shadow wanted to object; to at least make sure that this Rogen actually was the right man, but already his other two comrades had their minds set on finding him. His heart sank as the two turned and headed for the street. He couldn't persuade them otherwise.

With a sigh he followed, leaving Valor behind and preparing for the events ahead.

The spaceport teemed with off-worlders and locals anxiously waiting for the next transport heading off-planet. Shadow looked over the heads of various species, half hoping they would find Rogen and the other half wishing they wouldn't.

"Split up," Aven instructed. "We'll cover more ground that way."

Shadow stiffened at the instruction, especially toward the fact that it should have been _Kyra_ to say something like that. However, she didn't mind him taking lead. In fact, she _approved_ it. She nodded with a grin. "Good idea," she said with a cheerful chime.

Shadow rarely heard that cheerful chime, and he knew it meant what thing._ Damn, she's flirting with the rookie now_, he thought bitterly. If Kyra acted like that, it only meant on terrible thing: she started liking the rookie more and more as this mission progressed.

Before he could say anything, Aven and Kyra went separate ways, leaving him in his uneasiness. He didn't want to do this, but he had to. Shadow took a deep breath and finally set his eyes on searching out Rogen.

He remained rooted in his spot, but when a familiar feature caught his attention, he started making his way through the crowd toward a lone man seated on the ground. The man looked very similar to the hologram Valor showed, and when he stood only several feet away, Shadow knew he was the one.

Not wanting to provoke him, Shadow neared calmly, forcing a casual smile on his face and moving his hand up to wave. When the man saw him, he didn't stir to his feet right away and flee, in fact, he was unsuspecting of this younger person's approach. He decided to return the friendliness by nodding.

"Is there something you need, son?" he asked, tilting his head as he brought his hand up to block the sun from his eyes like a visor.

Shadow shook his head. "Just wanted to chat," he said, crouching so he didn't have to keep standing. "My name's Shadow. What's your name?" He extended his hand for a handshake, but the man didn't take it right away. Instead, it looked like he pondered on his name.

Moving the hand acting like a shield against the sun, he shook Shadow's hand with frown formed on his face. "Shadow's an interesting name," he said with a small chuckle. Quickly the upside down smile turned right-side up. "I'm Rogen Cormin; pleasure to meet you."

Shadow didn't know how to push forward the conversation, but noticing the purplish marks forming around Rogen's face, he found his window to question about the fight. "You got into a fight?" he asked, gesturing a casual hand toward the bruises.

"Hell yeah," Rogen scoffed, self-consciously touching his face. "They didn't know what hit them though—I left some members of the smuggler group pretty beaten."

"Smugglers shook you down for money?" he asked.

"Almost," Rogen said, as if mentally replaying the event in his mind. "They came out of nowhere—you see, I was minding my business in this pub—and they start demanding some pay as a sort of entry fee. I tell them to back off, but instead they keep pushing me. In the end, they drag me out back and start trying to beat the money out of me..."

"...How'd you leave them with a beating?" Shadow asked.

"I have some special powers," Rogen confessed, shrugging as if what he said meant nothing. "It's rather foolish to say—you probably won't believe me." He stared at him straight in the eye, his deep green stare acting as if they matched Shadow's eye-hue. "Do you believe me?"

Shadow didn't answer right away; his mind still pondered on his story about what the smugglers did, and seeing the bruises on Rogen's face concluded his theory. The man only fought to defend himself. He didn't seem to have the character to hire someone to steal for him. "I believe you—"

"Shadow found him!" Aven's bellowing compelled Shadow to pivot around, and rushing toward them came Kyra and Aven, eyes eagerly fixed on Rogen.

Shadow whipped around and roughly shoved the man. "Run!" he hissed lowly. "You need to run!"

Rogen's eyes, wide in shock, met his once more as if to acknowledge his words and quickly he turned and got to his feet. As he started to run, Shadow followed after him to act his part. The last thing he needed was them both telling Darius he actually helped the target escape.

"He's getting to the edge of the port!" Aven shouted. "We'll catch him now!"

Rogen's feet skid to a halt as he neared the platform's edge, and casually he peered down as if inspecting the drop. Shadow didn't know what ran through his mind, but deep down he urged Rogen to make up his mind inwardly.

The man contemplated for too long. Already Aven seized the man before he could even think about jumping. "Don't think you're getting away from Darius that easy, old man," he jeered as he tossed him away from the edge. Kyra's fist slammed against Rogen's jaw and he tumbled down to the ground.

Rogen's eyes frantically searched the people who surrounded him, and when his eyes rested on Shadow, he realized no one could help him. Kyra crouched down, pulling a knife from her back pocket. "You shouldn't have stolen from Darius, sir. Now we're here to teach you something that you'll never forget."

At her words, Rogen laughed. "You have no idea who you're messing with, young lady—" Aven's foot smacked against his head and forced his face to touch the ground.

"You haven't a clue who you're dealing with!" he spat.

Shadow winced as he looked over his shoulder, hoping someone in the crowd would see this and come to stop them. _You can stop this_, he thought to himself, _but you risk your position in your job. You risk the relationship between your co-workers._

Kyra neared Rogen with her knife, and at that point it became Shadow's breaking point. "Stop," he said, kneeling beside her. "Look at this man—we've terrorized him enough—"

"Listen to you," Kyra grumbled, not bothering to face him. "You've grown soft!" Her sharp blade pressed against the man's cheek, drawing blood and letting it trickle down his skin in a thin streak. Rogen didn't even cry out, as if numb to the cold metal dragging smoothly across his face. Aven kept his foot on the man's shoulder, keeping him pinned while Kyra continued carving.

"I said _stop!_" Shadow spat, and calling on the Force to send a powerful shove that sent Kyra flying away from the man. Aven turned on him in an instant, rage glowing in his eyes. Shadow stumbled back, suppressing a flinch as Aven's fists swung at his face.

He took a deep breath, knee moving up and slamming against the rookie's ribs to push him off. When Aven tumbled aside, Shadow rolled the opposite way, getting back on his feet and turning to Rogen. "You need to run!" he urged him.

Shadow turned his head just as Kyra came rushing in, jamming her knife up into his side. A gasp released from his lips as his body braced a little too late. It hurt, but he forced himself to suppress the pain as he pushed her away. Heart drumming, blood boiling, he reached to his side and drew his vibroblade, ready to use his blade against them.

"I can't leave you to fend for yourself," Rogen reasoned as he got to his feet, wiping the blood dribbling from the edge of his lip.

Shadow didn't speak against Rogen's words, his mind preoccupied by Aven who gradually advanced toward them. Aven lunged forward, ducking as the vibroblade swung for his head and in an effort he reached for the knife still jabbed into Shadow's flank. Aven's fingers wrapped around the hilt, and mercilessly he ripped it out and swung to cut at his thigh.

Staggering back, Shadow eluded the knife's swing. His hand automatically touched his side, hand pressing against the warm crimson already oozing through his fingers. "We don't have to do this," Shadow reasoned as he turned to face Kyra. She had her blaster drawn and aimed straight for him. As the blaster bolt darted toward him, Shadow flipped backwards and neared the platform's edge. Rogen's hand touched his shoulder, and quickly he pointed to the traffic flowing several feet below. He sheathed his vibroblade, understanding what the man had in mind.

"I know your secret Shadow," Kyra spat. "Are you sure you want me to share it?"

Her words caught him off guard, and curiosity soon came into play. "Secret?" Shadow echoed, unsure what she meant.

"I know your relationship with the Jedi in your apartment!" she declared, eyes searing with fury. "Help us take this man down, or else I'll be sure the world knows who your lover is."

Shadow felt a weight lay in his heart, and he realized what danger lingered not only over his head, but mostly over Ahsoka's. If the Jedi council found out, they'd probably not believe it at first, but they'd need to take precautions and perhaps ask either her or him questions. They'd be lucky to have their relationship survive under questioning by the wise Jedi council.

His eyes momentarily glanced to Rogen, who looked like he understood how bad the situation was for him. Shadow managed to release a soft sigh, turning to focus his eyes on Kyra once he made his decision. Taking a deep breath he reached over, seized Rogen's shoulder with a tight grip, glanced at Kyra and said, "Hell no," and threw him and Rogen over the platform's edge.

The wind whipped around them both as gravity compelled their bodies to pick up speed. Shadow had to act quickly. Instincts kicking in, he leaned to the side and allowed his body to smack against the cold metal of a passing speeder. The pilot let out an inhuman screech, startled by the jolt and newly added weight which made the vehicle lose a little altitude.

Shadow clung to the top edge of the speeder's backseat, keeping Rogen just above the flaring engines. They couldn't stay like this for long, and he honestly didn't know how well his fingers could keep the awkward grip. As the speeder's pilot looked back, he unhitched his grip from the speeder and allowed their bodies to get sucked back and down toward the lower traffic.

A small cargo shuttle intercepted them as they fell, their bodies smacking against the metal as if the ship hit a large animal. They slid down along the smooth surface, but Shadow managed to grab a ladder rung with crawled up the side of the ship.

"We need to get off!" Rogen bellowed, reaching over and grabbing the rung just beneath Shadow's feet.

Shadow almost didn't hear him because of the winds howling around them, but he managed to catch the words. He nodded in acknowledgment, and automatically his eyes glanced ahead for some sort of ledge they could leap off to. When he saw up ahead the balcony where some shuttled pulled off to park, he knew their opportunity lay there.

"I see a platform when can hop on," Shadow reported, taking a step down the ladder and stretching his hand down to Rogen. "Grab my hand, and I can make the jump for both of us." The man didn't object, nor did he question how he would do it. He just trusted him.

Once Rogen took his hand, Shadow helped him come up higher on the ladder so they both started at the same point. He bunched up his muscles, allowing power to coil more in his legs so as he propelled off the ladder they'd soar across and over the railing.

The opportunity approached..._now! _

Shadow pushed off, hand releasing the rung and his body soared away from the cargo ship. He trusted gravity would do the rest of the work. He pulled Rogen just behind him, making sure he, too, would make the jump. But as they neared the platform, Shadow realized some complications—his trajectory was off, and they headed straight for the edge _beyond_ the railing.

He reached out his hand in desperation, hoping to catch something that'd stop them from falling. As his fingers seized the metal railing, his wounded side smacked against the smooth concrete wall, a blow that almost caused him to loosen his grip. They dangled over darkness, and quickly Shadow's mind worked on solving this newly presented problem.

"Any ideas?" Rogen bellowed from below, not bothering to look down and surmise how far the ground actually lay beneath them.

"I'm gonna swing you to the railing," Shadow suggested. "Do you think you can catch it?"

"I think so," he answered, sounding rather confident.

Shadow felt as if a thorn remained pushed against his side, which drove him crazy. The knife's sting clung to him whenever he tried to move. Taking a deep breath he moved his arm connecting the hand holding Rogen and began gradually swinging him to and fro. Once he picked up speed, he threw him in the air and released his grasp, hoping Rogen would reach the railing.

"No!" Shadow bellowed in despair. Something threw off his trajectory and Rogen missed the balcony's rail by several inches. Reaching out with the Force, he caught the man with an invisible grip and started lifting him up toward the railing. Rogen needed to reach it.

His muscles refused to work, and already he started losing focus and his grasp started weakening. When Rogen's fingertips touched the metal, he lost his grip and he just dropped, clinging tightly to the railing and standing on the edge by the tips of his toes. Shadow's body eased in minor relief as he put his other hand on the railing he clung to. With the strength remaining in his figure, he hoisted his body up and pulled himself over the boundary. Shadow's back touched the ground, and relaxed when he understood the crisis had ended.

Rogen got himself on the other side just find, and quickly rushed to his side to tend to his flank. "She got you pretty good," he commented, hand touching the still bleeding wound. "We need to get you to a hospital." He helped Shadow to his feet, and with guidance of some locals, headed to the nearest medical facility.

There the droids cleaned and wrapped up the wound, and reported how lucky he'd been. If the knife had moved just a little lower, it'd probably cut into an important organ. About an hour later, Shadow left the hospital. While the hospital hands tended to, he told Rogen to leave and hide until his cargo ship came to take him back where he belonged. The man didn't object, and there they spoke their farewells.

Now Shadow saw that in a few minutes it'd be late into the noon hour, but he hoped Ahsoka still waited for him at the restaurant. If Kyra and Aven wished to plot their revenge against him, they'd probably do it soon, and he needed to warn her.

He headed for their eating place, and when he saw her there he couldn't help but feel his heart sink in relief. At the sight of his battered self, Ahsoka's face eased into concern. "What happened?" she asked, and when she saw the anxiousness in his eyes she knew something terrible occurred.

As they got their table and awaited for their food, Shadow quickly summarized the events that unfolded in the earlier hour. She sat with her complete attention on him. "And so I now don't have a job," Shadow concluded. "And they know about us."

Ahsoka didn't answer right away. Instead, she thought about the possibilities for solutions carefully. She glanced around the area, making sure no one's looking as she reached over and placed her hand over his. To other patrons, it easily was mistaken for a simple, friendly gesture, but to Shadow it meant so much more.

"You could always get a job in security," she suggested. "Work in the Senate building—or maybe the Chancellor's special guards. I could have my master suggest you to Chancellor Palpatine."

"That's a possibility," he agreed, managing a smile despite the circumstances. "But how are we gonna get through this together? Kyra will sure reveal our relationship because I betrayed Darius..."

"Don't fret about that just yet," Ahsoka comforted, smiling back. "I'm sure we'll get through this."

Shadow wanted to continue the conversation—to search for a solution, but already the robotic waitress eased her way toward the table with their meals. In silence they ate, and during that silence, Shadow hoped a solution would come.

_There's gotta be a way_, he thought. _There has to!_

As they left the café with stomachs filled, a shiver caressed his spine and a nervous warmth flared inside him. Something brewed in their future—more importantly his—but Shadow didn't want to face it, especially if it meant the unraveling of his relationship with Ahsoka.

* * *

Well, here is Chapter 3! A little lengthy, but it at least gets the story going. I hope you all have enjoyed the story so far, and trust me, there will be many more chapters to come! It'll be a little difficult for me since it's coming to the end of the school year, but the next chapter posting is **May 28th, 2014**! Have a great week everyone! I can't wait for what's gonna happen next to Shadow!


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

_Traitor! He was a bastard anyways!_ Aven cursed in his mind as he sat outside Darius's office, mind still reeling over the turn of events the past couple hours. After watching Shadow throw himself, and Rogen, off the spaceport's edge, he hoped the fall killed him. But alas, the former bounty hunter possessed skills usually found in a Jedi.

He despised Shadow for his betrayal; he loathed the rough morality built within him. If he hadn't had gotten in the way, Kyra would at least be smiling—to Aven, that's all that mattered: seeing her smile. He saw the look on her face, the bagginess in her cheeks as a frown weighed on her thin lips.

Darius's office door whooshed open and Aven got to his feet. "When are we gonna get the bastard?" he asked as Kyra stepped out.

"Not anytime soon," she answered, monotone displaying her sorrow. "Darius thought he should reward you for your good work. I'm taking you out to get your own special weapon."

Although it wasn't what he wanted to hear, Aven couldn't help but feel a whim of excitement. His own weapon! The thought somewhat distracted his mind from Shadow. He grinned, tilting his attention toward the pub's door. "Are we leaving now?" he asked.

Kyra smiled, nodded, and proceeded for the door. Aven followed just behind her, vowing he would get Shadow back for hurting her. They stepped outside, the streets still bustling with Coruscant citizens beginning to quicken their pace to get home, or get to the nearest bar. The fading sunlight dimmed the sky, leaving on half a dark blue-gray while the horizon glowed with a vibrant, burning sunset.

They proceeded to Kyra's speeder—the small dark red one parked closest to the door—and took off toward the flowing traffic buzzing overhead. The sway of the vehicle comforted the knot in Aven's stomach, and quietly he couldn't help but watch his companion steer. He admired how gracefully she pulled at the control stick, how concentrated she became in safely arriving to their destination.

They veered through the traffic until finally the speeder's front dipped forward for the descent. Aven hadn't noticed how far they went from the pub, and when Kyra parked her vehicle in an open space, he realized he stood in a part of the city he hadn't been to. The street wasn't as packed as the other streets he's been on. The only possible life seen would have been the droids shuffling their way into various buildings.

"Come on," Kyra mused as she got out of the pilot's side. "We're here." She pointed over Aven's shoulder, directing his attention a small rundown building with boarded up windows and a dead neon sign overhead.

The sign read BLACK NOVELTY, and Aven couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "What kind of place is this?" he asked, glancing over toward Kyra. She didn't answer him right away. Instead, she went to open the door.

A soft bell rang within the shop as the two stepped in, and over her shoulder in a soft voice, Kyra said, "This is pretty much a piece of the Black Galactic Market."

"STATEMENT: Welcome to Black Novelty—How may I be of service?" growled a droid maintaining the front counter. Its arm shined a dull, dark crimson beneath the poor lighting. It looked like an HK-14 droid, with its narrow yellow eyes and gruff voice.

"We'd like to look at your new arrivals," Kyra answered, folding her arms across her chest. "We're interested in buying something from here."

"STATEMENT: Oh course. Wait here, please." The droid turned and shuffled into a backroom. From outside, Aven could hear rattle of metal as items were moved. Eventually, the droid's footsteps neared the counter again, and when he reappeared, he held a box filled with all sorts of weapons—ranging from various sized knives, blasters and pistols, and several rare items such as stun batons and certain grenades.

"STATEMENT: These are the legal items," growled the droid. "Master says they will keep you out of trouble. They're also rare too."

Kyra only nodded, dismissed the droid with her hand to let them browse, and glanced toward Aven, her eyes prompting him to move closer to the counter and search for what he liked. "Go ahead," she said. "Pick what you like—but it's gotta be something that will be worth getting." She took a step back when he edged for the box.

Aven admired the numerous weapons cluttered inside, and carefully he reached in and started to rearrange the objects, searching for that perfect weapon. He studied several blades, but none captured his interest. Close to sighing in defeat, Aven moved aside an old blaster when he noticed two dark, narrow hand-grips.

"What are these?" Aven asked, picking up both with one hand. He carefully inspected them, curious to what they do. Somehow they looked oddly familiar.

"STATEMENT: Those are lightsabers scavenged from a ship crash," the droid answered, making its way back toward the counter. "Those shouldn't be in the box." It reached out to take them, but Aven kept them away, still looking.

"You can't buy lightsabers," Kyra answered. "They'll be too noticeable—and the Jedi will probably confiscate them. Try picking something else."

The droid still stood awaiting for the lightsabers. Aven shooed the droid away. "Go, just let me browse," he ordered. "You can go organize where these go when I'm done."

He watched the droid hesitate momentarily, but finally it nodded and turned away. Aven returned browsing until he became satisfied by the sight of a decent-sized blaster. "Here," he said, placing it on the counter. He quickly shuffled the contents of the box and then turned to Kyra. "I found my weapon."

She looked at him warily. "Do you know how to use a blaster?"

"Of course," he said, nodding with a grin. "If I didn't know, I don't think I'd be picking it anyways."

Kyra laughed and beckoned the droid to come along. She paid the needed credits, and it wasn't too long after did the two walk out of the shop and toward the speeder. The sky glowed with the lights of speeder engines and not the stars, or the moonlight.

"I'd say gun shopping is a success," Aven admitted with a grin. He sat in the passenger's seat of the vehicle, and when Kyra got in, her eyes suddenly focused on him.

"Do you have a place to stay yet?" she asked.

Aven shook his head. "Not yet," he answered. "I just made it to the payroll, remember?" he chuckled before he kept his eyes on her, wondering why she asked.

"I have space in my place if you want," she said. "I was just offering—if you don't want it, you don't have to take it—"

"No," Aven blurted, shaking his head. He smiled thankfully. "I'd like the place to stay. Thanks for offering."

Kyra smiled back and then turned her attention to the controls. The speeder roared to life, and with ease it soared up into the flowing traffic. Aven had never been to Kyra's place, and honestly didn't know why he possessed an excitement—or perhaps maybe it was toward the fact he actually had a place to stay.

They arrived at the apartment building, and eventually a few seconds after landing, they ended up in her home. As the front door whooshed open to the decent-sized apartment, Kyra flicked on the lights. "Well, this is my apartment," she announced, leading him inside. "Don't get too comfortable—this will only be temporary." She flashed a grin over her shoulder as the front door whooshed shut.

"Don't worry," Aven assured her. "I won't stay that long. Just for a bit until I can get on my feet." He shrugged his shoulders, walking toward the couch she stood beside. "Nice apartment."

"Thanks..." Her voice trailed slightly as her gaze met his. She had to tilt her chin up slightly so she could peer into his sight, and he had to tip his chin down. What grew in her eyes made Aven's heart patter—a feeling he always experienced whenever he stood close to her. Something about her made him drawn to her.

Before he could say anything, Kyra took his hand and pulled him close, lips mashing against his into a passionate kiss. At first he froze, unsure how to react. But after several seconds his muscles eased, his arms curled around her slender physique, and he kissed her back. Her hands fumbled against his tunic, and knew for certain what she wanted.

_Damn, she's fast_, he thought. He didn't know if she or him bumped the remote sitting on the coffee table beside them; the lights dimmed and left them in darkness, but neither didn't care. He eased her on the couch as he threw his tunic off, listening to an unnatural clatter of objects as it hit against the coffee table. Before she could turn to see what fell over, he deepened the kiss, keeping her attention off the twin hilts laying in the dark over his tunic...

Shadow's eyes gradually opened as morning sunlight slid through the thin curtains. Beside him, Ahsoka stirred awake, a long yawn passing her lips as she stretched her limbs. He eased closer to her, arms wrapping around her shivering body recovering from the night's chill. "Good morning," he hummed in her ear.

She turned her head, aquatic eyes focused on him as a smile gradually pulled on her lips. "Good morning," she whispered in return. He kissed her before unwrapping his arms from around her and getting out of bed.

"You told your master to about my debacle, right?" Shadow asked as he walked to his closet, pulling on a fresh tunic and combing his fingers through his ruffled hair.

"Yeah, well—the important parts," she answered as she straightened the blankets. "He says he's gonna meet you at the Senate building in the morning which means...you should actually go now." She got out of bed, coming to his side and giving his cheek a kiss. "Good luck," she whispered, and quickly hurried herself out so he could get ready for the day.

Despite a few knowing about their relationship, they still wanted to risk things. However, Shadow knew sooner or later the war would call Ahsoka back and he'd need to live his days in loneliness.

After getting ready, he left his apartment in a hurry for the Senate building. Sooner or later, Anakin would show up and together they would go speak to the Chancellor. When arriving at the building, he passed through security and headed up to Palpatine's office. There, he restlessly waited for the Jedi Knight to show up. Shadow released a deep breath, back leaning against the wall as he stared at the closed office door, hoping the interview would start already.

"Nice seeing you here early," spoke a voice, and quickly Shadow's attention averted from the door and toward a brown robed figure approaching him to his right. Dressed in dark traditional Jedi robes came Anakin Skywalker, a small smile pulling his battle-hardened face with a kindness. However, Shadow didn't let himself think Skywalker had a kind side.

"Master Skywalker," Shadow greeted, inclining his head respectfully. Normally, he wouldn't do such a thing, but he knew this Jedi was Ahsoka's teacher, and for that he respected him.

"Ahsoka tells me you're looking for work," Anakin mused as he dipped his head to acknowledge the formal bow. "Hopefully you can find some here—the chancellor is a very reasonable man; if he does turn you away, I'm sure there's a very good explanation behind it."

"I understand, sir," Shadow answered. "If I'm rejected, I will try to find some work elsewhere." He didn't meet Anakin's fierce blue stare, acting as if he wasn't completely focused on the present. Shadow had a feeling working for Chancellor Palpatine would be an important stepping stone in his life. For so long he yearned for a sense of purpose, and if he could be accepted into the security team, he'd be protecting one of the most respected and loved man in the Galactic Republic.

"Ahsoka also told me your previous job wasn't the best," Anakin added, which caused Shadow's stomach to twist inside him. "She didn't go into great detail, but she said your falling out with your boss and co-workers was unsettling."

"Yeah, I did fall out of that one, didn't I?" Shadow muttered under his breath, not wanting to imply anything to the Jedi about his former trade. He took a deep breath, hoping to relax his nerves. The hour of the interview neared, and the two didn't utter a single word for the rest of the wait.

The office door suddenly whooshed open, revealing the large room where the chancellor had called his private quarters. Shadow hesitated, unsure if he should wait for Palpatine himself to come and greet them in or enter without verbal invitation.

Anakin took the lead, walking through the open door and passing the two senate guards posted just inside. Shadow followed the Jedi, feeling like he knew what he was doing. His eyes gazed about the spacious office, and when his glance focused on the large, rectangular window with a beautiful view of the cityscape, Shadow couldn't stop gazing at the sight.

A lean man came into his view, and quickly Shadow gave the stranger undivided attention. The man had an aging face, with soft pale eyes and wisps of white hair mixed with faint strands of silver. He stood tall, and rather proud and gracious as he walked to the large seat settled behind a desk. Chancellor Palpatine looked the same as the holo-videos of him delivering speeches.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Palpatine greeted with a smile. "Please, take a seat." With a steady hand he gestured toward the two big chairs sitting in front of his desk waiting for occupants. Anakin sat down to the chancellor's left, and Shadow just sat right beside him. Once they looked settled, Palpatine proceeded with starting the interview, asking, "What is your name, young man?"

"Shadow."

"Shadow?" Palpatine echoed, as if testing the name on his tongue to see how it rang. "Just 'Shadow'? No surname?"

"That's correct, sir," he answered in a respectful tone, "It's just 'Shadow."'

"I hear you're in need of work," Palpatine mused, fingers interweaving as he leaned forward and propped his elbows on the desk. In the depths of his eyes glowed an interest in him, a serious and honest interest. "Tell me, what line of work are you seeking?"

"I want a position on your security team," he answered without wavering. "I'm in need of a better environment for the skills I have."

"So tell me, Shadow: elaborate on these skills you have." Palpatine's request was something Shadow had prepared himself to reply to. Ahsoka made sure he had as many answers developed before the interview as possible.

"I'm good at protecting people," Shadow explained. "Over the past year I've learned I actually have a calling to work as security. I stopped a bounty hunter from murdering a senator; I saved a man from a brutal beating from a couple of bounty hunters."

"Interesting," Chancellor Palpatine said, acknowledging his words with a stiff nod. "Your first work, when you mentioned you stopped a bounty hunter from murdering a senator, that senator didn't happen to be Senator Lanrax, right?"

Shadow felt his response get caught in his throat when Palpatine focused on the senator. In his mind, he considered protecting Senator Lanrax's life the reason he met Ahsoka. Training as a Sith follower since the time he could hold a lightsaber, he didn't know everything in his life would change after being captured by the Republic. He bargained for his freedom, and had to honestly work for it—but in the end, he fell away from the dark side when his heart fell for Ahsoka.

"Yes," Shadow finally said, realizing he'd been quiet longer than he expected.

"Senator Lanrax was killed—can you explain why that is?" Palpatine questioned, an eyebrow raised in wonder at how he'd answer the question.

"I didn't make it in time to save him," Shadow confessed, lowering his head as shame bore down on him. "I was half-way across the ship when the senator was murdered." He forced himself to choke down the emotion swelling inside him, knowing he had to continue conveying a strong, unmoved appearance to impress the chancellor. As his green eyes moved back up to Palpatine, he saw he actually was weighing his words.

"Who killed the senator?" Palpatine asked. "A bounty hunter?"

Shadow swallowed, shaking his head when the chancellor surmised a bounty hunter. "Not a bounty hunter," he answered. "A Sith follower killed him, but they weren't apart of the Confederacy. They ambushed the ship, planning to strip it of its supplies probably—it resulted to the capture of me and Padawan Tano. We escaped, luckily."

"Sith?" Chancellor Palpatine straightened his posture, eyes widening slightly as if to convey shock as he glanced over to Anakin. "There are more Sith? I thought Count Dooku was the only Sith Lord around..."

Anakin shook his head. "I'm afraid that's not the case, Chancellor," he answered with a long sigh. "My Padawan confirms they were Sith judging by the way they fought and what weapon they wielded: a lightsaber."

"Are your captors still alive?" Palpatine questioned, returning his attention to Shadow with concern flaring in his gaze. At this point, Shadow knew he probably blew the interview with his story of what occurred a year ago.

"Both are dead," he whispered, voice barely audible as he started getting sucked into the inner storm revolving around his thoughts and memories.

Palpatine leaned forward. "What did you say, boy?"

"They're gone," Shadow declared. "_Dead._"

"Did you take them down yourself?" Palpatine asked, starting to look impressed.

"Yes," Shadow mused, knowing he didn't speak an entire lie. "I fought with them." In his mind he pictured his former master's corpse rotting away; he imagined Sheema's shattered body laying at the bottom of an abysmal chasm; and Kareb's fate smoldered in a large piece of burning metal.

"The Republic Supply ship, _Red Flag_, crash landed here on Coruscant a year ago," Palpatine began, wondering if he already knew. "The remaining crew inside suffered unusual burn injuries, that we assume originated from a lightsaber. We found a body, heavily mutilated, but we identified him as the one who stole the ship. Did you know a Sith was still alive?"

Shadow shook his head. "No, I don't think so—but if it was, they're long dead now." All he could now think about was Kareb, and the dream his experienced only a couple of nights ago. It frightened him to think how his little brother suffered. Shadow knew the mutilated figure they found was his brother's corpse.

"Some scavengers managed to break in," Palpatine continued. "They took what they could before a squad of clone troopers arrived, so the Sith's lightsaber is now at the hands on the black market, no doubt."

Shadow didn't say anything else, afraid he'd probably speak something that would provoke Palpatine to ask about his past and ties with the deceased Sith acolytes. To his relief however, the chancellor didn't proceed pushing him on his past, and instead turned to Anakin to seek his thoughts about the young man sitting in his office. "What do you think of him, Anakin?" he questioned, curious to hear what the Jedi Knight had to say.

"I think Shadow's reliable," Anakin mused. "After all, he did stop the bounty hunter, Lazarus, which was his job. He did it successfully, which is what my Padawan told me. And what happened when the Sith captured them sounded beyond remarkable, in fact, amazing; worthy enough to see he will be perfect for a role on the Senate's security force."

Shadow almost felt touched by the Jedi's words, but he didn't know if Palpatine trusted those words. He tilted his head, eying him warily.

After several moments, Palpatine glanced at Shadow, giving a small smile and saying, "congratulations, you start tomorrow. I'll be sure to notify head of security you've joined and he'll issue you your blaster—"

Shadow raised his hand, cutting him off. "Could I use a vibroblade instead?"

* * *

Well, that concludes Chapter 4! I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. In my opinion, I think it's just gonna get better. So now that Shadow has his job, what do you think will happen next? Don't worry, the next chapter posting will be next week: **June 4th, 2014!** Don't be afraid to comment on the story, I'd really like to know what you all think of it so far!

Have a good week, everybody! (:


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Shadow stepped into a dark apartment, rolling over his recent success several hours ago. He flicked on the lights, and quickly scoped the living room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except the open balcony door letting the wind flow in. He stepped eagerly toward the balcony and stepped outside. Speeders hummed right past the railing during the night, a soothing sound Shadow enjoyed.

Standing by the railing was Ahsoka, her elbows propped against cold steel and her eyes stared out into the city. He smiled, gradually walking his way over to stand behind her. "Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder. "What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing," she answered, leaning against him. She sounded rather distant when she spoke. Shadow pulled her closer, worried.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"I have to leave soon..." Ahsoka turned around, her eyes weighed with sadness. She leaned her head in to kiss and hug him, tighter than she'd ever hugged him before. Shadow only suspected she held more concern for him than herself, especially with the possibility Darius would want revenge on him.

He held her tighter, taking a deep breath and savor the moment. "When are you coming back?" He spoke such a poor question, especially when he knew the answer—it wasn't easy to determine when she was coming back.

"You know the answer to that," she mused in his ear. "I come back when I'm called back."

Shadow swallowed, his stomach feeling queasy. _It could be forever until you come back_, he thought in anguish. "Then I'll be here," he promised. "Waiting." He watched her eyes slowly light up and he smiled.

"I know you well," Ahsoka laughed. "And always I'll be thinking of you."

Shadow grinned, and pulled her closer for a kiss.

Aven lay on Kyra's couch during the second night at her apartment, his mind replaying what ignited between them when he first stayed. The feeling of it all gnawed on him, as if conjuring some kind of inner guilt. _Guilt? _he wondered. Why do I feel guilty?

Outside hummed Courscant life, the glowing engines softly gleaming beneath the long drapes shrouding Kyra's windows. He closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles, hoping to fall asleep, but his heart couldn't stop rapidly beating against his chest. Eventually, Aven found his mind drift off to sleep. He vision, once focused on nothing but blackness, now stared about a dusty landscape.

_Where am I?_ he thought, eyes narrowed to see farther. He stood on a cliff, watching crimson and green colors clashing against one another. He noticed a trail leading lower and he went to get a closer look. Aven found himself walking around ruins, old pillars either still standing or broken and half-buried in dust.

He paused when he saw the figures—two females, both holding Jedi weapons—beginning to shuffle a little closer to the chasm sitting at the edge of the ruins. He wanted to cry out, to warn them of the danger. The girl with the green lightsaber, had stumbled back when her opponent—the one with the opposing weapon—started losing her footing.

"No!" Aven screeched, impulsively racing to aid the girl.

He pushed aside the one who wielded the green lightsaber just as the other girl toppled over the edge. Luckily, she managed to catch a jutting rock. "Here!" Aven stretched out his arm, finger tips reaching to grab her. "Grab my hand!"

The girl's blue eyes glowed with fear, but also with trust, as she looked at him, and slowly she took one of her hands to reach for his. Her fingertips touched his. "Almost there," Aven encouraged. "You're almost—"

_Crack!_

The sickening noise made him nauseous. The rock she held deteriorated like an old relic. "No!" Aven screeched. His voice sounded desperate and heart-broken. When her endless scream finally faded into the blackness, Aven stumbled away from the edge, shaken by his failure to save her. His eyes burned with tears as his mouth tried to formulate words. He didn't understand where this emotion came from.

Instead of turning to the other Jedi, his eyes—burning like a fire—glanced behind him toward a ragged boy watching in anguish. Pushing himself to his feet, Aven raced over to him. "It's your fault!" he screeched at him. "It's all your fault!" He noticed a fallen lightsaber and picked it up. "You're going to pay for what you did!"

The blade ignited and quickly he swung, prepared to give the killing blow—

"Aven!" Kyra shoved him again, this time jarring him from his sleep.

His eyes shot open, his skin slick with sweat cooled by the breeze moving through the apartment. He caught his breath, staring up into Kyra's cool blue eyes. "It-it was a dream," he stammered. "Did I wake you?"

She shook her head. "No, I was going to the kitchen to get a drink when I saw you tossing and turning in your sleep," she answered. "Then you cried out, almost in pain. It was then when I decided to wake you."

Aven gave a small smile. "Uh, thanks?" He wasn't sure whether to sound thankful that she woke him or be angry she interrupted his sleep. He sat up, letting her sit just at the edge of the couch.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, stretching her arms. During work, she looked like she didn't care, but at home it was like witnessing a secret life. Badass by day,;lover by night.

"Nothing too special happened in it," Aven admitted. "I tried to save this girl from falling to her death but...I couldn't get her in time. When her body fell into this...chasm that we were by, I turned and blamed this man for killing her. I was about to kill him, but then you woke me up."

"Sounds pretty violent," Kyra mused, sliding down to the floor and moving close to him. Her breath now wafted against his ear as she whispered, "Do you regret me waking you?"

Aven shook his head, somewhat baffled by the question. "No," he answered, grinning. "Maybe just a little, but not anymore." His eyes gazed into hers, and slowly she leaned closer and pressed her lips against his.

He kissed her back, but somehow it felt different from the previous night. It wasn't filled with so much fiery passion; in fact. It felt tender, as if she genuinely cared for him. Aven's heart pattered with uncertainty.

As Kyra deepened the kiss, Aven shifted against the couch. Something didn't feel right; this didn't feel right. Impulsively he pushed her away from him. He could tell Kyra looked confused despite the darkness.

"Something wrong?" she whispered, leaning closer to peck at his ear.

"Why don't we just sleep?" Aven suggested. "I-I'm really tired."

"Then we can sleep together." Kyra leaned in again for another kiss when a loud thud came from the door, and automatically she rolled off him and glanced toward her apartment's entrance. "It's a little late for visitors," she commented.

Aven watched her as she slipped her arm beneath her couch and pulled out a hidden blaster. He remained still, unsure whether to follow and fetch his weapon, or let her deal with whatever stood outside her door.

She approached the door, took a deep breath, and slid it half-way open. "What do you need?" she asked the stranger outside.

Aven grabbed the remote off the coffee table and gradually turned on the overhead lights. He still couldn't see who stood outside her door, but he could tell he was fairly tall, and was old—just because of the experience weighed in his voice.

"There's something here I need," said the man. "If you just let me in I can find what I need and leave."

"I think you've got the wrong apartment," Kyra grumbled, eyes narrowed as she pressed closer to the door. "Go away, sir."

"Whatever you say," the man grumbled. "But I'm not leaving."

A hiss came from the other side, and exploding out of her back glowed a crimson red rod. Kyra's body stiffened. "Kyra?" Aven gasped, eyes horrified at the sight as he got to his feet. The mysterious glowing red vanished, leaving her collapsing on the floor with scarlet blooming around her stomach.

She let out a gasp, struggling to overcome to shock.

Aven turned for his tunic crumpled beside the coffee table. There nested his pistol and the two lightsabers he stole. The front door slid open and he dove for his weapons. His fingers nearly grabbed the cold, slim hilt of a lightsaber when an invisible push sent him flying against the wall.

His eyes narrowed toward the lean, cloaked figure. "Who are you?" he spat angrily.

"Foolish boy," grumbled the man. "There's something here I need, and you're going to help me get it."

"Never!" Aven spat.

The cloaked figure shrugged, coming closer. "It's alright," he mused. "It's not a too difficult task—all you need to do is remember."

"What are you doing here?" Aven spat, struggling in his invisible bindings.

"Preparing for an assault," the man grumbled. "And you're going to help me."

"Wh-what?" Aven's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "How?"

"Don't worry about how; you'll remember soon enough..."

Shadow yearned for Ahsoka's return; he desired her comfort and affection as his nightmares progressed without end during the days of her absence. Those days lengthened to the span of a week, and already his passion for her grew. During that time, he started attempting to prove his worth to the chancellor, despite how much he despised the job since it barely contained even a sliver of excitement. It felt like a shield surrounded the building and nothing would dare go near it.

He thought about Darius and his previous occupation, and constantly he reminded himself of the threat Kyra and Aven posed on his life. Every sunrise when he awoke, he'd check his apartment to make sure nothing was out-of-place. Shadow wasn't sure how Darius retaliated when Kyra told him about his former right-hand man's unexpected behavior. They probably still plotted to end his pathetic life by revealing his relationship with Ahsoka.

This morning Shadow had arrived late to work due to oversleeping his alarm. The nightmares had such an effect on him, he struggled to think straight, or even stay awake. In his mind as his feet mounted the front steps his mind continued playing the violent images of his last moments on Korriban.

He recalled Kareb's blade driving into his shoulder and nastily twisting and sizzling in his flesh; he remembered Sheema's drowning scream as the darkness swallowed her whole when she disappeared down into the bottom of the endless chasm. He saw his former master's body crumpling as Kareb slayed him—

_Stop thinking about that_, Shadow scolded inwardly,_ you need to focus today._

He somewhat encouraged himself to stay positive and awake, but his efforts felt wasted on a hollow soul. He had just approached the large metal doors guarding as the Senate building's entrance when a distant howling touched his ears.

He paused, tilting his head and staring over his shoulder as he expected a speeder to zip toward him. Nothing came. An unsettling feeling twisted in his gut, and already his elevated heartbeat screamed to him something wasn't right.

The irritable noise steadily grew louder, grew _closer,_ and yet Shadow's eyes searched his surroundings and found nothing approaching. Frustration built up inside him, mentally declaring his lack of sleep is making him hear things. But a piece of him didn't believe it, and the only way to find out was to look in the only possible place the noise could be coming from.

He looked up.

Two dark objects marred the pure azure sky, spinning like a drill toward the Senate building. As they came closer, Shadow could make out the unusual projectiles as metal cone-shaped transports. The first skid down against the landing pad, the three-pronged end parting open and jutting out a rack filled with packed battle droids.

Shadow wished he had some sort of weapon other than a blaster, but knew he'd have to do something. The second pod slammed into the second landing pad, and the rack within held packed up super battle droids. The metal soldiers began to unfold and start unloading themselves. He darted for cover behind a pillar just as the first senate guards rushed out with their long electro-rods posed for attack.

They didn't stand a chance. The larger, heavier built droids shot them down within seconds, their lethal bolts penetrating their armor. Shadow activated his comm, saying in a whispering voice, "Separatists are attacking—I repeat, the Separatists are attacking!"

"_Rodger that, Shadow,_" spoke the gruff voice of the head security, Captain Mawso. "_Hold your ground, Rookie. Let us handle the threat._"

Shadow didn't dare mention to his captain he presently stood outside near the attack group; he thought it was best to hold his tongue. His comm beeped as his captain signed off; several droids' turned their heads to look about the area.

"Did you hear that?" asked a droid in its deep, navel-sounding intone.

"Hear what?" questioned another.

Shadow scooted slight to his right, peering around to see the droids pulling together in a marching formation. The larger droids eased behind, and together the group advanced for the large steel door.

"Four stay behind," grunted the droning voice of a super battle droid. "Make sure there isn't anyone behind us."

Four simple droids strayed from the group, heads looked lowered in disappointment at their luck. They couldn't experience any battle today. Shadow watched carefully as the group hacked into the door's mainframe, and in a few short seconds opened the main doors without too much trouble.

Shadow saw the group enter in, already firing at whoever stood on the other side as resistance. The doors whooshed shut automatically, but faintly he could hear the battle cries emitting from his fighting co-workers. His comm link blinked again and he cursed under his breath.

"Did you hear that?" inquired a droid. It started moving toward the pillar Shadow sheltered behind. "I think someone's here..."

"_Shadow!_" boomed the voice of Captain Mawso. "_What's your location?_"

Shadow's hand covered the speaker too slow, and didn't have time to muffle the voice. He eased his way back as the droids came around the pillar, guns raised and pointed at him. In submission he raised his hands and said, "Don't shoot."

"I don't think we take prisoners," said the droid coming closer to his right. "I think we should shoot him."

Shadow mused a grin as the droid to his right reached over and snatched the blaster from the holster against his hip. He didn't like that weapon anyways. As the droid eased back, he took a deep breath and summoned the Force. "You shouldn't shoot me," Shadow mused with a toying grin. "It'd be the smart thing to do."

"Oh yeah?" questioned a droid. "Give us a good reason we shouldn't shoot—"

A powerful surge of the Force came from his outstretched palms, and in an easy push he sent the droids flying back with their programmed screeches. Shadow called upon his knowledge of the dark side, reaching out and emitting cackling Sith lightning from his finger tips at the two nearest droids.

Their scrawny bodies convulsed underneath the reign of the electrifying strength and short circuited in seconds. They collapsed in a heap of thin smoke and Shadow pivoted to the other two beginning to shoot at him. He leaped aside, tucking and rolling smoothly behind the pillar to take cover.

He didn't want to waste anytime with them. His beeping comm reminded him that his captain wished to speak with him. Shadow rolled away from his cover, using the Force to deflect the blaster bolts straight back to their source. At impact, the droids flew back against the ground. Shadow grasped them both with a strong, invisible grip, and without hesitation, he crushed them. Nothing else remained except the sparking bodies, and gradually he eased the tension coiled up in his muscles.

"Captain Mawso?" Shadow asked into his comm, curious to know if the man still remained.

"_What took you so long, boy?_" his captain demanded. "_What is your location?_"

"I ran into a little trouble," Shadow admitted. "But it's taken care of—I'm outside at the front of the Senate building."

"_Good gracious, boy_," Captain Mawso mused. "_What are you doing out there? Did you join the first guards that tried to properly greet our _guests_?_"

"No sir, I was just arriving to work." Shadow knew his captain would discuss his lateness later since the building suffered a lethal crisis.

"_I want you to stay outside_," Captain Mawso ordered. "_We already sent a distress signal to a nearby fleet nearing Coruscant. They're sending gunships to help us. I want you to wait for them. There's also a Jedi coming, he'll tell you want to do._"

"Yes, sir," Shadow answered. His jaw clenched at the thought of a Jedi telling him what to do.

"_Great—Captain Mawso, out._" Once again his captain signed off, and Shadow knew it would probably be the last time he'd hear his voice.

* * *

I feel like that chapter seems a little rushed, but I didn't want it to be too lengthy either. I hope you're still enjoying _The Dangerous Path_, and don't worry, the next chapter will be posted soon. The next posting is **June 12, 2014**. Count down the days 'cause I'm sure the week will fly by in a snap!


	7. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Five minutes. That's all it took. Shadow gazed up toward the horizon, following the droning sound of gunships drafting toward the Senate building. Three gunships came into view. An eagerness spread through his muscles like a wild-fire, and now he just couldn't keep still. The sooner the troops touched down, the sooner he'd be allowed to join the fray.

The aircraft swerved closer, the engine noise gaining a louder voice amisdt the muffled blaster echos from inside. Yet as the calvary neared, a faint howling slid into his ear, a sound that differed from a gunship. Shadow's eyes noticed a dark dot racing through the sky. He squinted. It looked like another Separatist pod.

The tapered front exploded through a gunship, the pod's surface left unmarred but a trail of fire and chaos remained behind it. It soared higher than the previous pods. The pod slammed into highest point of the building, a shower of glass shards cascading from its landing.

Shadow sheltered just beneath a pillar, watching the window panes' remains dance upon the ground like raindrops. The gunships touched down, and the flank doors slid open, revealing the armed troopers prepared to annihilate the intruders.

As the soldiers raced out, a familiar face captured his eyes.

_Ahsoka?_

His heart soared in his chest at the sight, but he suppressed the urge to run to her; to embrace her; to kiss her. But if he did, they'd have an audience, one that would destroy their entire relationship by revealing it to the counsel. Well, perhaps it wouldn't completely damage their bond; in fact, Ahsoka would be banished for breaking the rules, but Shadow didn't want that for her. She loved being a Jedi.

Mind returning to reality, he found Ahsoka standing before him, eyes meeting his, and her troopers standing behind her. She probably had the same desires too and, like him, stifled them. Shadow tilted his gaze up, pointing toward the recent pod that landed at the top office.

"I think the chancellor's in trouble," Shadow observed, a queasy feeling in his stomach. "We need to hurry."

His eyes returned to her, and she nodded, pivoting around to face the trooper's captain. "Captain Rex? Proceed inside, take a few troopers with you; I want the rest to use a gunship and get up to the chancellor's office!" She pointed to where the latest pod had landed.

Captain Rex straightened his back, nodding to acknowledge her instruction. Then he tilted his head toward his troopers. "You heard the commander: let's move out!" The white armored soldiers bustled inside, blaster rifles at the read. Ahsoka was just about to follow them when Shadow grabbed her arm.

"Wait," Shadow said.

She paused, considering whether to keep going or stop to listen to him. "What is it?" she asked finally. "I have to be in there; this is hardly the time for a reunion, I'm sorry."

"I know," Shadow answered. "I just need a lightsaber."

The question threw her off guard. "Why?" she asked, tilting her head. "Don't you have a blaster, or vibroblade?"

"Something's not right," Shadow insisted, looking into her eyes, silently pleading for her to just give him an energized weapon just for this moment—for this battle. "I can feel it in my bones, and a blaster nor vibroblade is gonna protect me. Please. Just this once."

Ahsoka sighed, reaching for her shorter lightsaber. "Alright," she answered, and after unhitching her weapon from her belt, he placed it in his hand. "Be careful." Concern flashed in her eyes as she stared up at him.

He saw the genuine fear for him in her eyes. Shadow smiled. "You too," he whispered.

After forcing a breath, Ahsoka then turned and raced after her troops who'd already fled inside. Shadow raced after her, igniting her blade. The hum was like music to his ears, something special and uplifting. It felt far too long since he last held one of these energized weapons, but he knew his skill hadn't deserted him yet.

He followed right after her, They passed several corpses, mostly guards, some innocents who'd been attending personal business. Innocents. Shadow followed Ahsoka around the corner, suddenly thrown into instant blaster fire. Super battle droids crowded the elevator; the only passage to the upper floors.

Shadow deflected whatever bolt soared toward him and moved to dispatch the medium-sized wave. The lightsaber he held swung deftly, slicing through their metal like paper. He ducked some thick arms swinging for him, and flipped away to elude some blaster bolts attempting to catch his figure. In the end, all the super battle droids lay in a warm, sparking heap. The clone troopers came around, acknowledging his skills with a respectful nod and quickly they moved forward with Ahsoka in the lead.

She tried the elevator; but the doors wouldn't even open.

"We're gonna have to get to the stairs," Shadow grumbled, and quickly glanced to his right—away from the elevator and down another hallway. He pointed just to make sure Ahsoka got the picture. "Stairs are just a couple hallways away."

"You heard him," Ahsoka said, looking at her troopers. "Let's go." She automatically took the lead, racing down the hallway to get to the stairs.

Shadow didn't hesitate to follow. In his mind, the sooner they pushed through the small invasion, the sooner he'd be reunited with his love. It excited him so much, he started moving closer and closer to the front. Up ahead he saw a herd of simple battle droids, raining lethal bolts at guards sheltering behind some pillars. He and Ahsoka darted to opposite sides, smoothly slicing their way through the squad.

Gradually the droids realized members of their group started dropping in sparks, but before they could turn and defend themselves, they'd become nothing but a pile of cackling scrap. The guards hiding behind the pillars crept out, and when they saw Shadow, their eyes widened in surprise as they stared at the weapon in his hand.

"Stop staring," Shadow snapped. "The chancellor's in trouble—" He didn't finish his entire sentence; something inside him twisted like a knot, a sensation he normally felt whenever something dangerous lingered overhead. He held his breath as he looked at Ahsoka.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, concern etched on her face.

"Keep fighting," Shadow told her, racing past her. "Something's not right!" His heart drummed against his chest, managing to control the urge that wanted him to flee from the danger he sensed. Instead, he placed his courage before fear and went to face the threat. In his mind, only one thought registered: _the clones sent to the chancellor's office failed._

He encountered little resistance, strangely enough, but it didn't matter to him. He got to the stairs, and Shadow raced up the dozens of flights. He called on the Force, giving him more strength to continue. When he reached the floor of the chancellor's office, he left the stairwell and entered a quiet, abandoned hallway.

His eyes narrowed, looking to his left and right for at least movement. Nothing.

Shadow found it weird. Slowly he moved, lightsaber now extinguished, but prepared to come alive if he needed it. The unsettling feeling grew stronger, just enough to make him bit his lip and wonder to himself, "What is in there?"

_You'll figure it out_, he told himself as he reached the office door. With a flick of his hand, the large door swooshed open. The lightsaber in his hand ignited and swung diagonally across his body in a defense posture, but nothing shot at him. In fact, everything within looked quiet.

Shadow crept in, eyes searching the darkness. "Chancellor?" he asked in a low whisper. The office door whooshed shut behind him, and he knew something else was at work here.

He proceeded deeper into the space; it looked dark; ominous, but Shadow did his best to ignore the urges of fear prickling down his spine. He didn't need his courage to desert him now. He spotted a severed head laying in a bloodied pool close to the body it once belonged to. Shadow's heart aced slightly as he momentarily stared at the armored corpse. He was right: the clone troopers did fail.

Shadow glanced up, spotting the pod sitting on the right side of the office, and glass shards scattered around it. _Whoever came obviously didn't want to kill the chancellor_, he noted, and his eyes drifted toward the desk. Just beyond it, standing at the shattered window pane, stood a figure. The sun's contours made this stranger appear a silhouette.

He raised his weapon, the tip pointed toward the figure threateningly. "Where's the chancellor?" he demanded, anger dripping from his voice.

The silhouette tilted its head slightly, to gaze over their shoulder at him. "I've been waiting for you," mused a deep voice, strained from the average youthfulness, but teeming with obvious spite. The stranger turned, his matching colored eyes narrowed and focused on Shadow.

When their eyes met, Shadow's eyebrows raised. He knew that face, from somewhere. His lips parted, attempting to say words but nothing would leave his tongue. Utterly speechless, he adjusted his lightsaber grip, moving the blade to a defensive posture once more. Finally, after swallowing, he managed to say a single word.

"Aven?"

The man's shoulders shook, a mild amusement coming to play in his eyes. Shadow watched as the man's head then shake; who else could it be? He edged closer to the desk, his eyes spotting the dark scars layered over the man's face.

"You are Aven," Shadow growled. "Stop playing tricks on me!" His lightsaber moved once more, this time the tip returning to point at Aven. "Where is the chancellor?"

"Safe," Aven mused. "For now." He shrugged, unmoved by the threat of Shadow's weapon. "I'm here to even some scores—you broke the heart of someone I care about."

"Kyra?" Shadow guessed. "I didn't break her heart; are you kidding me?"

"Eh, maybe you did; maybe you didn't," Aven mused. "Kyra's dead now." He pivoted around, staring nonchalantly staring outside the window. "But that's not why I'm here."

"Then why are you here?" Shadow demanded. "What kind of game are you playing, Aven? What kind of game is _Darius_ playing?"

"Can you hear yourself, Shadow?" Aven demanded, glancing over his shoulder. "You're sounding very foolish now—while also hurting me. Don't you remember me at all?"

"Of course I remember you," Shadow growled. "You worked with me at Darius pub—you're a co-worker."

Aven laughed, turning back around. His amusement quickly evaporated, and a rage took its place. "I guess it doesn't matter—"

Out of nowhere, a stark white flash took Shadow off guard, completely. An electrifying heat swarmed his body, and he flew back, his bother withering beneath arches of cackling lightning. His lightsaber had extinguished and flew from his hand from his landing. His body convulsed, the smell of smoke drowning in his nostrils. Another man was here—Shadow was sure of it.

The lightning ceased, leaving his clothes smoking. His breaths came in gasps, trying to pull air in his lungs instead of smoke. Aven was now crouched on the desk, a wide grin unveiling his glee at the sight of him. "What was that?" Shadow demanded. "Who else is here."

"No one," Aven chuckled. "It's just you and me, brother."

"_Brother?_"

"Kareb," Aven corrected. "You lost the right to call me brother."

Like an animal, he leaped toward Shadow, two dark hilts slapping against his palms and instantly igniting into red fiery blades. Both lightsabers swung forward, prepared to cut toward his head and torso. Thinking fast, Shadow instinctively rolled, letting the blades slash against the floor.

Aven—no, Kareb—scowled and automatically adjusted his feet and charged again. Shadow leaped to his feet, just as the crimson blades swung again. He shuffled back, eluding the deathly hits directed for his heart and skull. He ducked when a blade swung for his throat; he rolled aside to elude a slash for his shoulder.

"Stop moving!" Kareb howled, and in unison his blades swung for his brother's waistline. Shadow spotted Ahsoka's short lightsaber, useless in the far corner. He reached out his hand, calling on the Force. The hilt twitched slightly, then eventually slid toward him.

Time felt like it slowed as Kareb's lightsabers inched closer to his waste and Ahsoka's secondary weapon neared his fingertips. A burst into reality made Shadow's knees buckle and he let himself fall back, catching himself with a hand while the other got the lightsaber and Kareb's blades hit nothing but air.

He gave himself a minor Force push, straightening his posture and igniting the yellow-green blade. Although it appeared shorter than Kareb's two, he knew it would have to do. Shadow moved in, going in for the offensive. His blade aimed dangerously close to his brother's shoulders, only wishing to disarm him.

Kareb's footing shuffled back, the crimson blades whirling as they slapped against his sibling's efforts. Shadow cut for the ankles, but he back flipped just in time, and managed to give the two some space.

The twin red blades momentarily twirled in the air as Kareb looked over his brother. His grin—still on his lips from earlier—widened. "You're off your game, Shadow," he mused. "Of course than—your performance with that Rogen fella, I have to say. Very impressive."

"Shut up," Shadow spat, eyes narrowed. His grip tightened on the lightsaber. "Let's just finish this!"

"Someone's eager." Kareb braced himself. "Are you sure you want to be a corpse so soon?"

Shadow's eyes blazed, lunging forward and deftly swinging his weapon, to and fro; back, and forth. He tried to slice anything vital to Kareb: an arm, a leg, hand, the waist. A rage surged through him; his brother fended off his attacks.

Kareb ducked a slice toward the head. "Come on," he taunted. "You've got to do better than that!"

Shadow drew his arm back, prepared to swing, when Kareb lunged forward, twin blades twirling in blurs of angry red. The sudden movements compelled him to stumble back, his yellow-green blade occasionally parrying. He listened to the wind howling outside, and realized they neared the window.

The three blades clashed, emitting hissing sounds. Shadow gritted his teeth, muscles coiled tight as he began to push Kareb's blades farther away from him. Using his free hand, he sent Kareb back with an invisible shove. As his brother's lightsabers raised in the air, Shadow twisted his blade and sliced one of the dark hilts in half.

Kareb scowled, discarding his now useless blade. "This is pointless—" he reached out with his now empty hand, grasping Shadow with an invisible grip. Shadow's body flew about the room, carried by a powerful force, tossed against every wall in the room, jarring the lightsaber from his hand.

Shadow flinched as Kareb threw him toward the pod, his left flank hitting against the metal. A sickening crack and a sharp pain came from his side. Kareb threw his brother to the ground, letting his face smash against the shards of glass. He released his hold, and quickly he leaped up on the desk.

"Look at you," Kareb jeered, gazing down at his brother. "You look like you're in pain." He laughed, twirling his remaining blade. Shadow looked up, eyes narrowed. Blood dripped from his scratched up face as he gradually got to his knees.

"Where's the chancellor?" Shadow growled as he got to his feet.

Kareb chuckled. "In the closet—I'll deal with him later—"

"Shadow!" a shout piped up from behind him, and slowly he turned, finding Ahsoka standing just behind him with a clone troopers fanning behind her.

Kareb eyebrows raised as he eyed Ahsoka. "Ah, this day just gets better and better." He poised his lightsaber, aiming for her. "I'm so indecisive: kill you—" his eyes focused on Shadow momentarily. "Or kill her—" his gaze yanked to Ahsoka. His eyes gleamed, as if he already had his answer.

"No!" Shadow bunched up his muscles, hurling himself at his brother. His hand grasped the wrist holding the lightsaber and kept it away from him. "You're not going to touch her!" Kareb let himself fall back, raising his knee and slamming it into his brother's gut.

Shadow grunted, growling curses beneath his breath.

Kareb's free hand grasped Shadow's tunic while he extinguished his blade. "I want to see you suffer." A dark glint in his eyes made Shadow feel uneasy.

Suddenly, the world tumbled around him. Kareb's knee pushed against his stomach, and together they rolled. It lasted for a matter of seconds, and Shadow was right on top again. Kareb pulled him closer. "Have a nice fall—"

Without warning, Kareb hauled his brother him, and sent him out the window. Shadow closed his eyes, feeling the wind whip around him and gravity pull his body toward the ground. The fall felt endless—but his mind fought on, trying to find a way to stop his fall. He winced as his body smacked against the edge of a lower building's roof.

He called on the Force, hoping it'd at least soften his fall. His body still made a sickening crack when he landed on the cold rooftop of a building, far below the one he was thrown from. Shadow's body ached; his head throbbed as he tried to gaze around him.

No one was there to help him.

He lowered his bloodied face to the cold cement and closed his eyes. Someone would come for him eventually.

A hand softly touched his back, and a voice whispered in his ear. "It's okay, Shadow," it said. "I'll take care of you."

He recognized the voice, yet it didn't sound like Ahsoka. It sounded deeper, and more experienced. It sounded warm...friendly. As Shadow's mind fell black with unconsciousness, the last thing he remembered feeling was the stranger lifting him up from the ground.

* * *

Apologies for the day-late chapter. I've had experienced some writer's block on this one! And just to give me a little time on the next one, the next chapter posting will be **June 22, 2014!** I've got a lot to do, especially next week, and I may find it difficult to work on the next chapter. Who do you think the man who rescued Shadow is? I'm sure the question will be answered in the next chapter! ;)


	8. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

_ Where am I?_

The thought conjured Shadow's broken form to move, but his limbs refused. His eyes fought to open, but his vision remained trapped in blackness. He knew he laid somewhere; unless death had already claimed him. As he drew in a breath, a pain pierced his side. _No_, he thought, _this doesn't feel like death._

Shadow remained stationary for a time that felt like an eternity. Every breath felt labored; every bone ached when he tried to move. Finally, after so long, his eyes opened. Escaping the darkness was like taking his first breath without pain, but sadly an ache still jabbed his sides as they rose and fell. An unfamiliar background surrounded him, all shadowy with faint light oozing through the cracks of an old shutter window. Somehow it looked oddly familiar.

His body stretched out over a long, old sofa facing a makeshift door—made of random wood pieces—which he assumed was the entryway. He lifted his gaze toward a closed closet just in front of him. His sight soon traveled behind the couch where he spotted stairs leading to the upper floor. The place looked small, and he doubted he was alone.

Suddenly the door swung open and Shadow's head jerked toward a figure standing at the threshold. "You're awake," said the stranger, deep voice ringing with obvious cheer. The floorboards creaked beneath his weight as he entered the house, closing the door behind him. Shadow squinted. He couldn't get a good look of the man to identify him, but he sounded awfully familiar.

"Not much of a talker, eh?" The man observed as he headed to the old shutter. "Don't worry, I'll do the taking for 'ya."

The shutters groaned open and dim gold light pooled through the mucky window pane, though Shadow could define the reds, oranges, and pinks outside; colors made by a sun easing behind the horizon. He sat up, and when the man faced him, his eyes lit up with recognition. "Rogen?" he croaked, voice tight in his dry through.

Rogen laughed. "Don't try talking too much, boy. You've been unconscious for days and haven't drank anything." He gestured to a large pitcher on a wooden end table by the couch. "Water?"

Shadow nodded, gradually sitting up. As he moved, his face grimaced. It'd take him a few moments or so to get use to the sharp aches in his body. Rogen walked to the end table, and when the water gurgled into the empty glass beside the pitcher, Shadow's throat felt dryer.

"Here." Rogen handed him the glass and Shadow touched it to his lips.

The cold liquid trickled down his throat, a soothing feeling. When the water drained to nothing, Shadow handed back the glass and took a deep breath. "How long have I been out?"

"Not long," Rogen admitted. "About two weeks."

Shadow's eyes widened. "Two weeks?" he echoed, jaw tightened. When the older man nodded, he gazed down at the floor. Two weeks? he thought in anguish. He closed his eyes, thoughts about Kareb and Ahsoka flooding his mind. His fingers gripped his hair. Everything at the moment felt rather overwhelming. "Is Ahsoka...?" He didn't want to say it.

"She's fine," Rogen assured him. "And your brother's gone; he disappeared. When I found you, I had to get you out of there fast. But I heard much about the troopers swarming in after Kareb. Your brother barely escaped."

Shadow's shoulders eased in relief. "She's alive," he murmured beneath his breath. "But she probably thinks I'm dead." His eyes opened, gazing up toward Rogen in wonder. "She thinks I'm dead now, huh?" he mused, speaking louder. When he saw him nod, he scowled. "When can I go back? I have to see her!"

Rogen shook his head. "You can't," he muttered. "It's too risky. Kareb thinks your dead now too—and his awareness is no longer focused on you. But, if you set foot in the Coruscant again, I'm certain—because of the bond you two hold—he will sense you."

Shadow's eyes blazed as he got himself to his feet. "_What?_" he snapped. "We're not on Coruscant? Where the hell are we?" He ignored the ache in his limbs.

"Dantooine." Rogen gestured toward the open window, pointing toward the dark atmosphere and the faint tussock grass swaying to and fro. "A terrain for farmers—"

"I know what this place is," Shadow interrupted. "I spent a bit of my childhood here. Before my parents died." His eyes slowly glanced about the place again. _No wonder why I seems so familiar_, he thought. He glanced at the closet, and eventually toward the stairs leading upstairs. It didn't seem so familiar, it felt familiar.

"I'm sorry," Rogen apologized, hand touching his shoulder and jerking Shadow from his thoughts. "Soon you'll reunite with your sweetheart, but for now: you need to rest. The sooner you're healed up, the sooner we can start training."

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "Training?" he echoed.

"Yes, training." Rogen gradually led him back down to the couch, gentle not to disturb his wounds. "I tried to fix your injuries, but the Force only goes so far—"

"What did you say?" Shadow interrupted, his widened toward the man. He couldn't believe what his hears were hearing.

Rogen only grinned. "You heard me," he answered, and then headed for the kitchen with the water pitcher and empty glass. "Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't sense it—but then again, I think it's been a while since you've embraced your instincts, huh?"

"I think I'm finely tuned in the Force," Shadow retorted.

"You assume much," Rogen mused. "And you still have much to learn. But rest now, Shadow. Once I see that you're strong enough, I can start teaching you."

"Are you a Jedi?" Shadow's eyes narrowed slightly. The last thing he needed, or at least wanted, was a Jedi lecturing him. He didn't want to hear it.

The man only paused, chuckling at the name. "Was," he said. "A very long time ago. One of many, but I left the Order to seek seclusion here." His eyes focused on his wounded, now growing stern as he said, "Rest. Or you'll never be able to defeat your brother."

"One more question," Shadow said, preventing Rogen from leaving the room just yet. He took a deep breath, "How do you know about my brother?"

"You talk in your sleep, you know that?" Rogen chuckled, shaking his head. "You mumble all sorts of restless things when you're asleep. I heard his name—I heard the word 'brother' so I put it together." He shrugged, turning his back on Shadow. "Rest. You really need it."

Shadow's head touched down on the couch, releasing a long sigh as he thought back to what Rogen said. He hoped Ahsoka was alright—despite the man's claims. That day in the chancellor's office, Kareb threatened to kill her.

As he laid there, he realized Kareb had no intention of killing her—he wanted her to suffer like he did. He wanted her to live every waking moment heartbroken, just like him. Shadow's body shivered as he closed his eyes, hoping Ahsoka wouldn't give in to those thoughts. Kareb got his revenge—or at least, that's what he would keep thinking.

* * *

Sorry for the short chapter, but I'm sure next time it'll be longer in length. The next chapter posting is **June 28th, 2014**. I'd like to take a moment to thank you all for sticking with me this far, and I can't for the rest of the chapters to come! You guys are awesome! (: Have a great week, everyone!


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